Impact of a 4-Week Treatment with Prostaglandin E1 on Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients with Intermittent Claudication

Intermittent claudication impairs functional status and quality of life in many patients by limiting walking capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 4-week treatment with prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), a drug inducing vasodilation and inhibiting platelet aggregation, on improving functional status and health-related quality of life in patients with disabling intermittent claudication. Forty-two untrained outpatients (37 men and five women, mean age 64 ±8 years) with intermittent claudication, and maximum walking distance (MWD) of at least 50 and no more than 200 m on treadmill test (5% slope, 3 km/hr) were randomized to 4 weeks of double-blind treatment either with 60 mcg PGE1 daily given IV in 250 mL saline over a period of 2 hours (21 patients) or placebo (250 mL saline, 21 patients). Treatment-free follow-up was completed 8 weeks after the final infusion. Pain free walking distance (PFWD), MWD, and questionnaire evaluation were determined at baseline, after the 4-week treatment period, and at the end of the 8 weeks of the treatment-free follow-up period. After 4 weeks of treatment with PGE1 PFWD and MWD increased from 72 ±16 m to 135 ±33 m (+87%, p<0.001) and from 140 ±30 m to 266 ±62 m (+90%, p<0.001), respectively. Analysis of the Walking Impairment Questionnaire responses in the PGE1 group at 4 weeks demonstrated significant improvements in the walking impairment score (+ 19 percentage points, p<0.001), in the distance score (+25 percentage points, p<0.001), in the speed score (+24 percentage points, p<0.001), in the stair climbing score (+20 percentage points, p< 0.001). The RAND survey responses showed improvements in physical function and bodily pain scores (+ 14 percentage points, p<0.001, and + 15 percentage points, p<0.01, respectively). After the treatment-free follow-up period of 8 weeks, increases in PFWD and MWD were maintained (113 ±26 m, +57%, p<0.001, and 229 ±55 m, + 63%, p<0.001, respectively). Similarly, at the end of the treatment-free follow-up, the walking impairment score (+16 percentage points, p<0.001), the distance score (+23 percentage points, p<0.001), the speed score (+22 percentage points, p<0.001), the stair climbing score (+18 percentage points, p<0.001) as well as the RAND physical function and bodily pain scores (+ 10 percentage points, p<0.001, and + 13 percentage points, p<0.01, respectively) were still increased compared with baseline. No change from baseline was found in all the target parameters in the placebo group after 4 weeks of treatment and at the end of the treatment-free follow-up period. These data show that a 4-week treatment with PGE1 improves functional status and quality of life as well as treadmill performance in patients with disabling intermittent claudication as compared with placebo-treated patients. The improvements are also maintained for a period of 8 weeks beyond the end of the treatment. Additional studies are needed to determine the duration of functional benefits after the end of treatment.