A DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO CONTROLLED TRIAL OF INTRAVENOUS PROSTACYCLIN (PGI2) IN 108 PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC PERIPHERAL VASCULAR-DISEASE

108 patients with ischemic peripheral vascular disease were randomly allocated to recieve infusion of either PGI2 (6 ng/kg/min over 8 hours daily for 5 consecutive days) or placebo in a double-blind manner. All patients had Stage II disease (Fontaine classification). One month after infusion the absolute and relative walking times were significantly (p<0.05) longer in the PGI2- than in the placebo-treated group. Patients were further classified as treatment responders or non-responders on the basis of increase of absolute and relative walking times. After one month 44% (24 out of 54) of the PGI2- and 15% (8 out of 54) of the placebo-treated patients were positive treatment-responders (p<0.01). © 1990.