title: Effect of the serotonin blocker sarpogrelate on circulating interleukin-18 levels in patients with diabetes and arteriosclerosis obliterans.
abstract: We aimed to evaluate the effect of treatment with sarpogrelate, a serotonin 2A receptor antagonist, on circulating interleukin (IL)-18 levels in patients with diabetes and arteriosclerosis obliterans. Patients received sarpogrelate (100 mg 3 times daily) for 2 months. We evaluated the degree of cryaesthesia (a feeling of cold in the foot and toes) as the clinical outcome, and measured circulating IL-18, IL-6 and lipid protein concentrations. An improvement in clinical outcome occurred after initiation of sarpogrelate therapy; a significant decrease in IL-18 levels was observed after 2 months of therapy. Levels of IL-6 and lipid proteins, including triglyceride, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, were not significantly altered by treatment. Our data suggest that by reducing circulating IL-18 levels, sarpogrelate treatment may contribute to the inhibition of arteriosclerosis obliterans progression in patients with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Medicine, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamakawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saegusa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kusaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawaura
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001162:Arteriosclerosis Obliterans / Q000097:blood*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013386:Succinates / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D013386:Succinates; C064294:sarpogrelate