HEPARAN-SULFATE FOR THE TREATMENT OF OCCLUSIVE ARTERIAL-DISEASE OF THE LOWER-LIMBS - A DOUBLE-BLIND CONTROLLED CLINICAL-TRIAL

The clinical efficacy of heparan sulphate* was investigated in a randomised, double-blind controlled study in patients with occlusive arterial disease of the lower limbs at stage II of the Fontaine classification. Two groups of twenty patients with a history of claudication for at least six months were given either 100 mg b.i.d. heparan sulphate or 50 mg b.i.d. mesoglycan for three months. At the end of treatment, pain free walking distance and systolic ankle-arm pressure ratio improved more in the heparan sulphate than in the mesoglycan group. Heparan sulphate also significantly reduced ADP and collagen induced platelet aggregation and these findings strongly suggest that the drug may be effective in reducing platelet activation. The results of this study indicate that heparan sulphate may have a beneficial effect both in the treatment of peripheral arterial vascular disease and in the prevention of associated thrombotic events.