Treatment of ischaemic digital ulcers and prevention of gangrene with intravenous iloprost in systemic sclerosis

33Citations
Citations of this article
19Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Twelve patients with systemic sclerosis were treated with intravenous infusions of the prostacyclin-stable analogue iloprost 0.5-2.0 ng/kg/min for 6 h from 8 to 13 days. Imminent gangrene was stopped in 2 patients and followed by healing. In 4 of 6 patients iloprost led to complete healing of ischaemic ulcers and in the remaining 2 patients to partial healing. One patient with severe Raynaud's phenomenon discontinued the study after 3 days due to severe headache. The 2 remaining patients with Raynaud's phenomenon as an indication improved, while no improvement was recorded in a patient with vasculitis of the lower leg. Side-effects such as headache, nausea and flushing were the reason that only 5 patients reached the maximum infusion rate. No statistical differences were recorded in digital bloodflow before and after the study or in plasma endothelin in the 9 patients investigated. Three of the 6 patients with healing ulcers, however, showed a pronounced decrease in plasma endothelin. Iloprost appears useful as a treatment of imminent gangrene and ischaemic ulcers in systemic sclerosis. This reparatory capacity could also be of a more general importance in therapy of this disease.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Zachariae, H., Halkier-Sørensen, L., Bjerring, P., & Heickendorff, L. (1996). Treatment of ischaemic digital ulcers and prevention of gangrene with intravenous iloprost in systemic sclerosis. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 76(3), 236–238. https://doi.org/10.2340/0001555576236238

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free