Effects of alprostadil on blood rheology and nucleoside metabolism in patients affected with lower limb chronic ischaemia

The acute (0.57 mug/kg i.v. in 2 hours) and long-term (0.57 mug/kg i.v. in 2 hours for 5 days over 4 weeks) effects of the PGE1 analogue alprostadil w ere studied in patients affected with intermittent claudication. Whole Blood Viscosity (WBV), Whole Blood Filterability (WBF), haematocrit ( Htc) and fibrinogen plasma concentration, were studied together with P50, 2 ,3-diphosphoglycerate, and adenosine plasma levels. Moreover, in the long-t erm study, pain-free (PFWD) and maximal walking distance (MWD) were measure d. Single alprostadil infusion induced an improvement in WBV, WEE and oxygen t ransport. and an increase in adenosine plasma levels. Long-term alprostadil administration produced a decrease in WBV only, without significant change s in WEE Htc, fibrinogen, P50, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, also inducing a sign ificant prolongation of PFWD and MWD. The possibility is suggested that pulse rises in adenosine plasma levels pl ay a role in the effects of chronic alprostadil administration, maybe in a way similar to that observed in the phenomenon of ischaemic preconditioning .