Effect Of Prostaglandin E1 On “Inflammatory” Or “Ischemic” Skin Ulcer In The Patients With Peripheral Vascular Disease

Abstract

Clinical, physiological and biochemical studies of PG E1 treatment were done, in a series of 7 collagen disease patients with “inflammatory” skin ulcer and 5 diabetics with ischemic ulcers or apical gangrene of toes. Intravenous infusions of prostaglandin (PG)EL was given continuously in the dose of lng/kg/min for 72 hours. Blood samples were collected from cubital vein, before, during, right after, and at 7 days after PG E1 therapy. Platelet aggregations induced by ADP collagen epinephrine were evaluated by light transmittance. Platelet iPG E(immuno-reactive PG E like material) levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Essential fatty acid compositions of plasma, platelet, and red cell were analyzed by gas chromatography.Results were as follows: 1. In all of cases, complete or almost complete healing of skin ulcers or abolition of the pain were noted. 2. Skin temperature was elevated during PG E1 treatment. 3. The platelet basal iPG E levels were significantly decreased by PG E1 treatment(p<0.025). 4. The plasma and platelet linoleic acid levels were significantly higher than before the treatment plasma: p<0.05, platelet: p<0.025). 5. In most cases, platelet aggregation was increased during PG E1 treatment than before.Conclusion: Dramatic therapeutic effects of PG E1 were observed on “inflammatory” or “ischemic” skin ulcer in patients with peripheral vascular disease. This effect might be resulted from improvement of PG metabolism abnormality in the platelet etc. Platelet aggregation in vitro may dissociate from the results in vivo.