HEMOSTATIC EFFECTS OF ILOPROST IN PATIENTS WITH LOWER-LIMB ISCHEMIA

The aim of this study was to investigate the haemostatic effects of il oprost, a stable analogue of prostacyclin, in patients with peripheral arterial disease. In a group of 13 patients with obliterative arterio pathies of the lower limbs the plasma levels of thrombomodulin (TM), b etathromboglobulin (beta-TG), D-dimer (DD) and plasminogen activator-i nhibitor (pAI-1) were measured, and compared to the values obtained fr om 10 healthy volunteers. All the parameters were found to be signific antly higher in vasculopathic patients. These haemostatic evaluations were carried out after 4 weeks of treatment with iloprost up to 2 ng/k g/min, 6 hours infusion per day. During and at the end of treatment a clinical improvement was recorded. The patients also showed a signific ant decrease in plasma beta-TG and DD at the end of treatment. These d ata suggest that iloprost exerts clinical improvement, in who mag have a part the decrease of platelet activation and of fibrin turnover.