title: Effectiveness of intravenous ilomedin infusion and smoking cessation in the treatment of acutely symptomatic Buerger disease.
abstract: We assessed the effectiveness of iloprost treatment in the management of symptomatic Buerger disease (BD) and assessed smoking cessation compliance, based on a single-center experience. Thirteen patients with BD were treated with sessions of intravenous (IV) Ilomedin infusion. At 1-year follow-up, pain status alteration, number of analgesics required, ankle-brachial index (ABI) change, compliance with supervised smoking cessation, and amputation-free rate were recorded. The pain status improved considerably according to a visual analog scale, the number of analgesics required was significantly reduced, and all patients improved their pain-free walking distance, the ABI, and their self-reported quality of life. Only 2 patients required minor amputations. Combination of IV Ilomedin infusion, supervised smoking cessation, and a specific follow-up protocol may lead to improvement in pain-free walking distance, pain status, quality of life, and substantial reduction in amputation risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spanos
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saleptsis
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Athanasoulas
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Lazaros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sakkas
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece giannouk@med.uth.gr.
authors.forename: Athanasios D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Giannoukas
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D016285:Iloprost / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013919:Thromboangiitis Obliterans / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D016285:Iloprost
keywords: Buerger disease; amputation; iloprost; quality of life; smoking; walking distance