Successful treatment of Raynaud's syndrome with Iloprost, a chemically stable prostacyclin analogue

Br J Rheumatol. 1988 Jun;27(3):220-6. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/27.3.220.

Abstract

Twelve female patients with severe secondary Raynaud's phenomenon were treated in a randomized order with both placebo and Iloprost infusions. Infusions were for 5 hours on 3 consecutive days and Iloprost was administered at variable dosage from 1.0 to 3.0 ng/kg/min. A 6-week follow-up period was used between the two sets of infusions. A significant number of patients reported Iloprost had improved Raynaud's symptomatology compared with placebo and this effect lasted for up to 6 weeks. The number of attacks of Raynaud's as recorded by patients in diary books was similarly reduced after Iloprost. Digital and nail-bed blood flows measured by laser-Doppler methods were increased for up to 6 weeks after Iloprost, but not after placebo infusions. Iloprost may be a useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of severe secondary Raynaud's syndrome.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Body Temperature / drug effects
  • Chronic Disease
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Epoprostenol / administration & dosage
  • Epoprostenol / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Fingers / blood supply
  • Humans
  • Iloprost
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Middle Aged
  • Platelet Aggregation / drug effects
  • Random Allocation
  • Raynaud Disease / blood
  • Raynaud Disease / drug therapy*
  • Raynaud Disease / physiopathology
  • Regional Blood Flow / drug effects
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Epoprostenol
  • Iloprost