title: Iloprost improves femoro-distal graft flow after a single bolus injection.
abstract: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to study the effect of the stable prostacyclin analogue iloprost on femoro-distal graft blood flow. After completing femoro-distal reconstruction, 3000 ng of iloprost or placebo was injected into the graft over 2 min. Graft blood flow, measured by electromagnetic flowmetry, increased by a mean (range) of 94% (12 to 192%) in patients receiving iloprost (n = 15) compared to 6% (-34 to 53%) in controls (n = 16; p less than 0.0001, t-test). Increased graft flow, measured by duplex ultrasound, was maintained in the iloprost group over a 7 day period postoperatively (F = 5.2, p = 0.03; analysis of variance) and remained higher at 7 days (p = 0.007, t-test). Iloprost produces an immediate, sustained increase in graft blood flow after femoro-distal reconstruction and may therefore be of benefit in reducing the incidence of early graft failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Selly Oak Hospital, U.K.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Shearman
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Crowson
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Simms
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D016285:Iloprost / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation
chemical_list: D016285:Iloprost