title: Anti-inflammatory effects of pentoxifylline in claudication.
abstract: We measured neutrophil elastase/alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor complex (E/alpha) levels by ELISA in plasma samples drawn from 19 patients with claudication, before and at 1 and 2 months after initiation of pentoxifylline (PTF), 400 mg. p.o. tid. Plasma E/alpha levels declined in all eight patients whose initial values were more than 300 ng elastase per ml. Whole blood viscosity (wbv) was reduced by two months' treatment in 12 of 14 patients tested. The relative change in wbv was significantly related to the relative change in E/alpha (R2 = 0.8), for patients with elevated initial E/alpha levels, suggesting a common or related mechanism for the two effects. Plasma crosslinked fibrin D-dimer fragments (XDP) measured by ELISA as indicators of coagulation activity were lower compared to pretreatment levels in 9 of 10 samples drawn when symptoms were improved on PTF, whereas they were increased in 6 of 9 samples drawn when symptoms were worse or unchanged. Plasma viscosity, C-reactive protein and alpha 1-acid-glycoprotein did not change significantly with PTF treatment. Together these findings are consistent with the possibility that reduced microvascular neutrophil activation and coagulation play a role in the clinical efficacy of PTF in intermittent claudication.
authors.affiliation: Duke University, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Simel
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Christenson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000188:drug therapy*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000097:blood; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D010431:Pentoxifylline