Red Cell Flexibility and Platelet Aggregation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Vascular Disease (COAD) and Study of Therapeutic Approaches

• Published in: Angiology 1984-07, Vol.35 (7), p.418-426
• Main Authors: Ambrus, J.L., Ambrus, C.M., Taheri, S.A., Gastpar, H., Reddington, M.M., Taheri, P., Kahn, E.A., Schattman, G.L., Dean, L.S., Moore, R.H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alprostadil; Arterial Occlusive Diseases - drug therapy; Arterial Occlusive Diseases - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Viscosity - drug effects; Cardiology. Vascular system; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pentoxifylline - therapeutic use; Platelet Aggregation - drug effects; Prostaglandins E - therapeutic use; Smoking; Theobromine - analogs & derivatives
• ISSN: 0003-3197; 1940-1574
• DOI: 10.1177/000331978403500704

The red blood cell flexibility was studied in the blood of twenty patients with severe peripheral vascular disease and twenty matched controls. Patients exhibited significantly less red cell flexibility than controls. In both groups there was an inverse relationship between age and red cell flexibility. No correlation was found between red cell flexibility and sex or smoking history. Pentoxifylline, a xanthine derivative which inhibits phosphodiesterases and platelet aggregation, was found to increase red cell flexibility. This effect of the drug was greater on red cells with impaired flexibility than on normal cells. Various prostaglandins by contrast were found to decrease red cell flexibility, this could be compensated for by pentoxifylline. Forty patients with COAD were treated intravenously with PgE1. Significant inhibition of platelet aggregation and clinical improvement was noticed. It is suggested that combinations of PgE1 and pentoxifylline should be explored in clinical studies.