Elevated levels of 6-keto-prostaglandin-F1a from a lower extremity during external pneumatic compression.

: The synthesis of either fibrinolytic serine proteases or platelet inhibitory ecosonoids by the intact endothelial cell may limit thrombus development. In a preliminary study from this laboratory, an elevation in the level of 6-Keto-prostaglandin-F1a, the stable metabolite of prostacyclin (PGI2) was demonstrated in femoral vein plasma obtained during surgical treatment from an extremity undergoing external pneumatic compression. Simultaneously, no elevations in thromboxane B2, the stable metabolite of thromboxane A2, were observed. The present study is an inclusive prospective series of 26 patients. A single pneumatic compression stocking was applied to the left limb in patients who underwent an operation under general anesthesia. Base line venous samples (3 milliliters) were obtained from the femoral vein on the experimental side and the control contralateral side, as well as from the upper limb. Additional samples were drawn at 30 and 60 minutes after the onset of compression. Nine samples per patient (234 total) were analyzed for 6-Keto-prostaglandin-F1a by competitive binding radioimmunoassay in duplicate in a single blind manner. Base line values for the upper limb, right leg and left leg were 0.08 + 0.01 nanogram per milliliter; 0.14 + 0.03 nanogram per milliliter, and 0.13 + 0.02 nanogram per milliliter, respectively (no statistical difference). By 60 minutes of compression, control samples increased to 0.40 + 0.07 nanogram per milliliter (right leg) and 0.42 + 0.08 nanogram per milliliter (upper limb) while the experimental leg increased to 0.71 + 0.13 nanogram per milliliter (p less than 0.05 versus right leg, p less than 0.005 versus upper limb). There was no statistical difference at 60 minutes between the men and women.