G. Gherardini et al., VENOUS ULCERS - IMPROVED HEALING BY IONTOPHORETIC ADMINISTRATION OF CALCITONIN-GENE-RELATED PEPTIDE AND VASOACTIVE INTESTINAL POLYPEPTIDE, Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 101(1), 1998, pp. 90-93
A study on the effects of iontophoretic administration of calcitonin g
ene-related peptide and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide on the heali
ng of venous stasis ulcers of the extremities was carried out on 66 pa
tients. Two randomized groups of patients were compared, one receiving
standard treatment plus iontophoresis of calcitonin gene-related pept
ide and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and the other receiving sta
ndard treatment plus placebo iontophoresis. Calcitonin gene-related pe
ptide and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide were administered locally
by iontophoresis for 20 min three times weekly for 12 weeks. To determ
ine the effects of the two treatments, the percentage surface area of
ulcer healed and the number of healed ulcers were compared after 2, 4,
6, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment. The results demonstrate that there w
ere significant improvements of the healing profess in the group treat
ed with calcitonin gene-related peptide and vasoactive intestinal poly
peptide when compared with placebo iontophoresis, and support the use
of iontophoresis administration of calcitonin gene-related peptide and
vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the treatment of venous ulcers.