[Acute ischemic lesions in young women taking oral contraceptives. A report on 5 cases (author's transl)].
Severe ischemic lesions were observed in 5 cases among women aged between 35 and 43 years taking the contraceptive pill over a period of 4 years. Three of these patients developed sudden severe ischemia of the lower limbs after the unrecognized appearance of intermittent claudication for periods of from 2 to 10 months, and amputation was necessary after various ineffective treatments. Recovery occurred in the two other patients, one of whom developed ischemia in the upper limb, the other in the lower limb, who were treated at an early stage. The young age of these women and the absence of atheroma were factors that suggested that the oral contraceptives, taken for periods of from 6 months to 4 years, were at least partially responsible for the lesions, and this hypothesis was supported by the discovery of anti-ethinyl estradiol antibodies in the serum. This was probably not the only causative factor, however, as all the patients were smokers. These cases demonstrate the danger of associating smoking with the taking of oral contraceptives, that the latter should be discontinued when signs suggestive of peripheral arterial insufficiency appear, and that urgent thrombectomy should be conducted in cases of severe ischemic lesions.
D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral
Sévérité des ischémies aiguës survenant chez des femmes jeunes sous contraceptifs oraux. A propos de 5 observations.