Successful treatment of Raynaud's Syndrome with prostacyclin.
There is evidence to suggest that platelet activation occurs in Raynaud's syndrome. We evaluated the effect of prostacyclin (PGI2) a potent antiplatelet and vasodilator agent in 5 female patients with Raynaud's syndrome. Outpatient visits were made at weekly intervals for 4 weeks. At the first visit buffer solution (Wellcome Laboratories) was infused intravenously for 5 hrs, thereafter three five hr infusions of PGI2 at a peak dose of 10 ng/Kg/min were given. Six weeks after the infusions patients were reviewed. Symptomatic improvement, including healing of ischaemic ulcers, occurred in 4 out of 5 patients. Thermography confirmed an increase in hand temperature after PCI2. Subjective and objective improvement has persisted for at least 6 weeks after the last treatment.
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002021:Buffers; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013817:Thermography; D013997:Time Factors
D002021:Buffers; D011453:Prostaglandins; D011464:Epoprostenol