Prostaglandin E1 treatment of leg ulcers caused by venous or arterial incompetence

Abstract

An open and a double-blind study were undertaken on patients with leg ulcers caused mainly by venous (VI) or arterial incompetence (AI). They were treated with intravenous infusions or injections of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). Eight of 10 patients in the open study experienced relief of pain and a complete or almost complete healing of their ulcers. In the double-blind study (20 patients) 4 out of 5 patients with a history of leg ulcers due to VI for more than 5 year responded to the PGE1 treatment, compared with one of 5 treated with saline. In the saline group 3 more patients with VI of shorter duration improved. In 3 of 5 patients of PGE1 with ulcers due to AI the original ulcer area was reduced by 78--65% after 70 days, while in the 2 remaining cases healing occurred later on. No effect was noted in the 2 patients with ulcers due to AI who received saline infusions. The results indicate the beneficial effect of PGE1 on pain and healing in leg ulcers caused by peripheral vascular disease.