The effectiveness of glycosaminoglycans in peripheral vascular disease therapy: a clinical and experimental trial.
Thirty patients suffering from peripheral vascular disease (stage-II according to Fontaine) were included in a double-blind study aimed at assessing the efficacy of a high-dose glycosaminoglycan (GAG) (Sulodexide) both in terms of laboratory parameters, such as lipid metabolism and blood coagulation components, and instrumental procedures (strain-gauge plethysmography). Compared with the fifteen control patients (treated with placebo), the fifteen patients treated with Sulodexide showed a significant decrease in blood triglycerides and fibrinogen as well as a significantly increased HDL-cholesterol, and positive instrumental changes: at the end of treatment Peak and Rest Flow values--and consequently also Winsor's index--were significantly increased only in patients treated with Sulodexide.
D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D014280:Triglycerides; C007858:glucuronyl glucosamine glycan sulfate; D005340:Fibrinogen