Favorable Effects of Prostacyclin Infusion in a Patient Given a Renal Transplant and with Severe Vascular Disease Secondary to Diabetes—A Case Report

Abstract

Microangiopathy is one of the most frequent diseases in diabetic patients. A diabetic man with a kidney transplant and with severe and progressive vasculo pathy with early necrosis of the fingers and toes was submitted to three prosta cyclin (PGI₂) intravenous infusions (5 ng/kg/min for forty-eight hours) during a period of two months. Three months after the last infusion, radiographs of the hands and feet showed a marked reduction in the extent of the vascular calcifi cations and healing of the ischemic-necrotic areas. The authors discuss the im mediate and later effects of PGI₂ infusion in a case of diabetic vascular disease.