Systemic scleroderma patients have improved skin perfusion after the transdermal application of PGE1 ethyl ester.
BACKGROUND
Patients with systemic scleroderma exhibit a noticeable slowing of blood cell velocities or even stasis in the capillaries of the skin. In this study the effects of transdermally applied prostaglandin PGE1 ethyl ester on nutritive cutaneous perfusion and on Raynaud's symptoms were investigated.


METHODS
24 patients with systemic scleroderma were treated transdermally over a period of 14 days with prostaglandin E1 ethyl ester patches. The response of blood cell velocity in the nailfold capillaries to cold exposure was tested in 20 patients, and all of the patients recorded the number of Raynaud's episodes in a journal over a period of two weeks.


RESULTS
After the transdermal application of prostaglandin E1 ethyl ester there was an increase in blood cell velocity in the nutritive capillaries of systemic scleroderma patients (increase from 0.35 +/- 0.14 mm/s to 0.47 +/- 0.11 mm/s, (p < 0.05)). At the same time there was a decrease in the number of Raynaud's episodes (2.9 +/- 2.4 per day to 2.6 +/- 2.0 per day (p < 0.05)).


CONCLUSIONS
The transdermal application of prostaglandin E1 ethyl ester was shown to have a favourable effect on nutritive blood flow in the capillaries of the skin in systemic scleroderma patients.
Schlez
A
A
Universitäts-Hautklinik, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tübingen.
Häfner
H M
HM
Kittel
M
M
Braun
S
S
Diehm
C
C
Jünger
M
M
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000527:Alprostadil; C479882:prostaglandin E1 ethyl ester