title: Isradipine in the treatment of peripheral occlusive vascular disease of the lower limbs: a pilot study.
abstract: The long-term effects of isradipine on peripheral occlusive vascular disease of the lower limbs were investigated in 23 normotensive patients with stable Fontaine stage IIa disease and with an absolute pain-free interval (treadmill speed 4 km/h, no incline) of 300 - 700 m, and Doppler ankle - arm arterial pressure index of less than 0.80 in at least one leg. Using a double-blind, parallel-group design, patients received either 2.5 mg isradipine twice daily or placebo for 12 months. Both isradipine (n = 11) and placebo (n = 12) increased the absolute pain-free interval mean values; the increases were not significantly different. Similar trends were observed in the mean values for relative pain-free interval and ankle--arm arterial pressure index. In a subgroup of patients with a baseline absolute pain-free interval of greater than 500 m, isradipine (n = 6) significantly (P less than 0.001) increased both the absolute and the relative pain-free intervals and increased the ankle--arm arterial pressure index compared with placebo (n = 7). The favourable effects of long-term isradipine treatment suggest that isradipine could positively interfere with factors involved in the progression of atherosclerotic lesions or improve collateral vessel flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, L Sacco Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomasini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scandale
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Di Perri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Libretti
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017275:Isradipine; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D017275:Isradipine