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Thromb Haemost 1981; 45(03): 255-256
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1650182
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Successful Treatment of Raynaud's Syndrome with Prostacyclin

J J F Belch
1   The Department of Medicine, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, U. K.
,
P Newman
2   The Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering, West of Scotland Health Board, U. K.
,
J K Drury
3   The Department of Vascular Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, U. K.
,
H Capell
1   The Department of Medicine, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, U. K.
,
P Leiberman
3   The Department of Vascular Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, U. K.
,
W B James
4   The Department of Radiology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, U. K.
,
C D Forbes
1   The Department of Medicine, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, U. K.
,
C R M Prentice
1   The Department of Medicine, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, U. K.
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 10 February 1981

Accepted 03 April 1981

Publication Date:
06 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

There is evidence to suggest that platelet activation occurs in Raynaud’s syndrome. We evaluated the effect of prostacyclin (PGI2) a potent antiplatelet and vasodilator agent in 5 female patients with Raynaud’s syndrome. Outpatient visits were made at weekly intervals for 4 weeks. At the first visit buffer solution (Wellcome Laboratories) was infused intravenously for 5 hrs, thereafter three five hr infusions of PGI2 at a peak dose of 10 ng/ Kg/min were given. Six weeks after the infusions patients were reviewed. Symptomatic improvement, including healing of ischaemic ulcers, occurred in 4 out of 5 patients. Thermography confirmed an increase in hand temperature after PCI2. Subjective and objective improvement has persisted for at least 6 weeks after the last treatment.

Keywords

Raynaud’s syndrome - Prostacyclin - Thermography in Raynaud’s syndrome
 

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