A randomized, double-blind, crossover comparison of iloprost with dextran in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

Iloprost, a stable carbaprostacyclin analog, was infused for 12 h daily on 5 consecutive days into the forearm vein of 13 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) of legs. For comparison, dextran was infused in a randomized, crossover, double-blind manner with an average interval of 3 months. The results suggest that a 5-day iloprost infusion exerts a mild favourable effect on patients with PAOD