1993 Volume 16 Issue 5 Pages 409-414
Raynaud's phenomenon, one of symptoms of collagen diseases, is due to insufficiency of peripheral blood circulation. This insufficiency is caused not only by vasoconstriction but also by histological change of blood vessels. Various vasodilators and inactivators of platelet aggregation have been used for treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon in patients with collagen diseases.
In this study, we investigated the effects of beraprost sodium (BPS), a derivative of prostacycline, on Raynaud's phenomenon in patients with collagen diseases. In order to examine whether if BPS improved the blood circulation of fingers, we measured the temperature of fingers with thermography before and after cold water loading test (immersing both hands for 30 seconds in water at 15°C). After administration of BPS for 6 to 12 weeks, higher temperature of fingers, more rapid recovery of finger temperature after cold water loading test and improvement of thermal differences between fingertips and MP joints were observed.
We concluded that cold water loading test with thermography was the good method for evaluation of drugs for peripheral circulation and that BPS was effective drug for Raynaud's phenomenon in patients with collagen diseases.
