title: [Prostacyclin (iloprost) as an adjuvant in local surgical therapy of stage IV arterial occlusive disease--is quantification of the therapeutic effect possible with tcPO2 measurements?].
abstract: The effect of intravenous therapy with iloprost (average duration 6 weeks) on the prognosis of leg-preserving local surgical treatment and on the transcutaneously measured oxygen pressure (tcPO2) in patients with ischaemic lesions was investigated in a prospective, open, controlled, randomized study. All of the 30 patients recruited to the study suffered from a peripheral arterial occlusive disease Fontaine stage IV with progressive symptoms and arterial occlusions below the knee. 15 patients received iloprost intravenously for 6 hours per day in an individual tolerable dose (mean dose: 1.7 ng/kg/min). 15 patients in the control group received no trial therapy. During the treatment period each patient underwent minor amputation or skin grafting. Wound healing after surgery and tcPO2 were assessed. The long-term efficacy of iloprost was assessed by following the patients for one year. The iloprost treatment was in general well tolerated and all patients completed the study in accordance with the trial protocol. Primary postoperative wound healing as the responder-criterion was observed in 9 patients (60%) of the iloprost group and in 4 patients (27%) of the control group. Patients with iloprost therapy were especially likely to show wound healing if they received the operation approximately in the mid of the treatment phase. The effect of therapy lasted for one year after the end of the treatment in 7 of 9 classified responders of the iloprost group. After one year the responder rate of 47% in the iloprost group was still 20% higher than in the control group. Surgical revisions were necessary in 7 patients (47%) of each group. 2 patients (13%) treated with iloprost and 4 control patients (27%) underwent major amputation. The mortality was 13% = 2 of 15 patients (iloprost) and 7% = 1 of 15 patients (control). Transcutaneous PO2-measurements were very reproducible over a long-term period under standardized conditions. A significant effect of iloprost on the tcPO2 was shown. There was a mean increase of 8.1 mmHg +/- 11.2 (mean +/- SD) in the foot of the affected limb after an average 6-week therapy (p < 0.05). At the same time a significant difference in the tcPO2-changes between responders and nonresponders was demonstrated (p < 0.05). Patients with primary wound healing had a greater increase in tcPO2 than patients whose wounds did not heal. An increase of at least 10 mmHg (6 patients) in tcPO2 during the infusion after 3 weeks of therapy predicted primary post-operative wound healing.
authors.affiliation: I. Chirurgische Abteilung des Krankenhauses Moabit in Berlin-Tiergarten.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery*; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016285:Iloprost / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007511:Ischemia / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D016285:Iloprost