Effect of Different Iloprost Doses on Symptoms in Systemic Sclerosis
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2007-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This study compared the efficacy of different dosages of long-term iloprost treatment on
Raynaud's phenomenon, ulcer healing, skin thickening, and progression of internal organ
sclerosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Methods. 50 SSc patients were 1:1 randomised either for maximally tolerated dose up to 2
ng/kg body weight [bw] per minute or low dose (0.5 ng/kg bw per minute) intravenous iloprost
administration, for six hours daily over 21 days. The effect on RP, ulcer healing, skin
thickness, oesophagus function, lung involvement as assessed by lung function parameters FVC
and DLCO, and side effects were measured.
Conclusions. The efficacy of prolonged administration of iloprost is also achieved with low
dose iloprost by long term treatment. The effects suggest a disease-modifying capability of
iloprost, but further studies are needed to proof this hypothesis.