2
1320 BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 21 MAY 1977 w e suggest that patients o n this drug should b e carefully assessed regularly so t ha t lesser degrees o f muscle weakness a r e n o t over- looked. We thank Dr M Simpson a n d Dr I Anderson for their help a n d advice. Drug a n d Therapeutic Bulletin, 1976, 1 4 , 9 7 . 2Lockhart, J D F , a n d Masheter, H C , British J7ournal o f Clinical Practice, 1976, 3 0 , 172. 3Howard, D J , a n d Russell Rees, J , British Medical3Journal, 1976, 1 , 133. L'Hermitte, F , e t a l , British Medical,Journal, 1976, 1 , 1256. (Accepted 2 5 March 1977) Leicester General Hospital, Leicester LE 5 4PW I W TOMLINSON, M B, MRCP, medical registrar F D ROSENTHAL, M D , FRCP, consultant physician Severe thrombophlebitis with Praxilene Intravenous or intra-arterial naftidrofuryl oxalate(Praxilene) infusions a r e used i n patients with vascular insufficiency f o rest pain a nd pre- gangrene o r trophic ulceration. F o r intravenous use it i s recommended that 2 0 0 mg ( 2 5 m l ) o f naftidrofuryl should b e infused over o n e a nd a half t o t wo hours diluted with 2 0 0 m l o f dextrose, dextrose-saline, o r low-molecular-weight dextran. In o u r early experience with this regimen w e found that patients rapidly developed severe thrombo- phlebitis i n t h e infused veins. This l e d u s t o perform a prospective survey of patients wh o h a d naftidrofuryl infusions. In most cases t h e thrombophlebitis necessitated o n e or more changes o f drip site s o that 1 3 i n seven patients were ultimately available f o r analysis. Patients, methods, a n d results Seven consecutive patients w h o were given naftidrofuryl infusions were studied. In each case t h e indication wa s severe lower limb ischaemia with rest pain i n a n elderly patient (five m e n a n d tw o women). A standard dose o f t h e drug w a s given twice daily (200 m g i n about 200 m l o f dextrose o r saline). Th e infusion site w a s inspected after each dose b y on e o f u s : t he area of a n y erythema o r thrombosis wa s measured and t h e patient asked about pain. Th e investigator d i d not influence t h e treatment o r selection o f drip sites, a n d i n some cases theinfusion wa s continued after t h e first signs of inflamma- tion h a d appeared (see table). T e n cases o f thrombophlebitis occurred i n 13 infusions (see table). Th e affliction w a s fa r more severe a n d developed far more rapidly than infusion thrombophlebitis seen with dextrose 5O o r saline alone. A l l b u t o n e patient (case 7 ) h a d at least o n e episode. T h e tw o women were less severely affected, though t h e numbers were t o o small to show a significant difference. I n s i x cases t h e first sign occurred after only o ne dose of t h e drug-that i s , after about tw o hours o f infusion. Fortunately t h e condition resolved after t h e Local thrombophlebitis after administering naftidrofuryl 2 0 0 mg by infusion over o n e and a half t o t w o hours Case Cannula Area o f Length of No o f doses No o f doses N o S e x (gauge a n d type) Diluent Drip site* Pain erythema thrombosis given before first Severityt  m m m m sign 1 M 1 8 , Medicut 5  . Dextrose R forearm + + 3 0 0 x 40 300 3 1 S L forearm  175 x6 0 17 5 3 1 Butterfly Dextrose L hand 1  2 M 1 8 , Medicut Saline R forearm  + 1 7 0 x 5 0 1 4 0 2 1 S 3 M 1 8 , Medicut 5  , , Dextrose R forearm + Minimal 1 1 5 8 8 S 4 F 1 8 , Medicut { Isotonic saline L forearm + 13 0 x 3 0 130 6 2 5 4 1 8 , Medicut ~~~ extrose saline R forearm 1 0 5  A i  1 8 , Medicut  Isotonic saline L R forearm + 8 5 x 4 0 1 4 0 5 2 S s  8, Medicut Isotonic saline ~ R forearm + 2 1 0 x 5 0 100 4 1 5 6 M 1 8 , Medicut 5 ° , Dextrose RACF + + 210x50 2 1 0 4 1 S  7 F 1 8 , Medicut Dextrose-saline L hand _ Minimal 2 2 0 L R ACF= Left (right) antecubital fossa. t S +  Very severe. S = Severe. 0 = None. cannula w a s removed. T h e pa in was severe i n some cases a n d w as relieved with kaolin poultice a n d mild oral analgesics. Th e inflammation settled over about 48 hours but a l l patients were left with t h e  cord o f thrombosed vein. No cases o f suppurative thrombophlebitis occurred. Comment Mild thrombophlebitis i s a common complication of intravenous infusions: t h e reported incidence i s between 1 2  a n d 3 9  , b u t i t m a y approach 1 0 0  if t h e infusions a r e continued f o r long enough. In th e cases reported here t h e thrombophlebitis began after only short periods o f infusion a n d w a s particularly severe. We believe t t this i s a n effect o f naftidrofuryl. T h e aetiology ofthrombophlebitis is multifactorial. T he l o w pH o f naftidrofuryl ( 2 7 5 ) a nd th e diluting fluid m a y b e relevant. Commercial dextrose  , f o example, has a pH around 4-2, b ut i f t h e pH i s raised t o a physiological level t h e incidence o f thrombophlebitis i s dramatically reduced.' Naftidrofuryl 2 0 0 m g i n 2 0 0 m l of dextrose- saline h a s a pH o f 3-4. With naftidrofuryl, however, t h e inflammation began very early (often during t h e first t w o hours), a n d this i s n o t a characteristic o f infusions with dextrose o r saline alone. I t has long been recognised that th e thrombophlebitis rate increases with t h e duration of the infusion, b u t Elfring, i n a large series, recorded  very l o w complication rate i n infusions lasting less than t w o hours, a n d t h e fe w cases o f thrombophlebitis were mild.2 Some patient factors predispose t o infusion thrombophlebitis, b u t these were n o t found consistently i n our cases: they include severe illness,3 middle age,1 2 t h e female sex,2 adjacent infection, a n d burns.4 Ou r patients were i n an advanced stage o f peripheral vascular disease b u t were otherwise well. Their advanced a g e might have been protective. Immune deficiency states have been associated with this condition,4 but, although t h e immune status o f our patients w a s n o t investigated, w e have no reason t o suppose that a n y abnormality existed. T h e frequency a n d severity o f th e reactions that w e observed were probably d u e t o some factor in naftidrofuryl other than t h e p H . Several studies have shown th e damaging effects of drugs added t o infusions a n d different factors a r e entailed with each drug.5 T o clarify t h e effects o f naftidrofuryl w e a r e undertaking animal studies. In th e meantime i t would seem wise when infusing naftidrofuryl t o change t h e drip site often, i f possible after each dose. I t i s n o t y et clear whether naftidrofuryl h a s a n y effect o n th e central veins, a n d infusion into these should be undertaken with caution. IFonkalsrud, E W , e t a l , Surgery, 1968, 63, 2 80 . 2 Elfring, G , Hastabacka, J , a n d Tammisto, T , American Heart J7ournal, 1967, 7 3 , 717. 3Todd, R M, Lancet, 1951, 1 , 982. 4Stein, J M, Ne w England 7ournal of Medicine, 1970, 282, 1452. 5 Turco, S J , Bulletin o f t h e Parenteral Drug Association, 1975, 29, 89. (Accepted 2 3 March 1977) Vascular Unit, London Hospital, London El C R J WOODHOUSE, FRCS, surgical registrar D G A EADIE, M S , FRCS, consultant surgeon

Severe Thrombophlebitis

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Page 1: Severe Thrombophlebitis

 

1320

BRITISH

MEDICAL JOURNAL

21

MAY

1977

we s u g g e s t t h a t p a t i e n t s

on t h i s d r u g

s h o u l d b e c a r e f u l l y a s s e s s e d

r eg u l a r l y s o t ha t l e s s e r d e g r e e s

o f

m u s c l e

w e a k n e s s a r e n o t

o v e r -

l o o k e d .

We

t h a n k

Dr

M

S i m p s o n a n d

Dr I A n d e r s o n f o r t h e i r

h e l p

a n d a d v i c e .

D r u g a n d T h e r a p e u t i c

B u l l e t i n ,

1 9 7 6 , 1 4 ,

9 7 .

2 L o c k h a r t , J

D

F ,

a n d

M a s h e t e r ,

H

C , B r i t i s h

J 7 o u r n a l

o f C l i n i c a l P r a c t i c e ,

1 9 7 6 ,

3 0 , 1 7 2 .

3 H o w a r d , D J ,

a n d R u s s e l l

R e e s , J , B r i t i s h M e d i c a l 3 J o u r n a l ,

1 9 7 6 , 1 , 1 3 3 .

L ' H e r m i t t e , F ,

e t a l , B r i t i s h

M e d i c a l , J o u r n a l ,

1 9 7 6 , 1 , 1 2 5 6 .

( A c c e p t e d

2 5 March 1 9 7 7 )

L e i c e s t e r General H o s p i t a l , L e i c e s t e r LE5 4PW

I W

TOMLINSON, M B , M R C P , m e d i c a l r e g i s t r a r

F D ROSENTHAL, M D , F R C P , c o n s u l t a n t

p h y s i c i a n

S e v e r e

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s

w i t h

P r a x i l e n e

I n t r a v e n o u s o r i n t r a - a r t e r i a l n a f t i d r o f u r y l o x a l a t e ( P ra x i l en e ) i n f u s i o n s

a r e u s e d

i n p a t i e n t s

w i t h v a s c u l a r

i n s u f f i c i e n c y

f o r e s t p a i n a n d p r e -

g a n g r e n e o r t r o p h i c

u l c e r a t i o n .

F o r i n t r a v e n o u s u s e i t i s r e c o m m e n d e d

t h a t

2 0 0 mg ( 2 5

m l )

o f

n a f t i d r o f u r y l

s h o u l d

b e

i n f u s e d

o v e r

one a n d a

h a l f t o two h o u r s d i l u t e d w i t h

2 0 0 ml o f

d e x t r o s e , d e x t r o s e - s a l i n e ,

o r

l o w - m o l e c u l a r - w e i g h t d e x t r a n .

I n o u r

e a r l y e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h i s

r e g i m e n we f o u n d

t h a t

p a t i e n t s r a p i d l y d e v e l o p e d

s e v e r e

t h r o m b o -

p h l e b i t i s

i n

t h e

i n f u s e d v e i n s .

T h i s l e d u s

t o

p e r f o r m

a

p r o s p e c t i v e

s u r v e y o f p a t i e n t s

wh o h a d

n a f t i d r o f u r y l

i n f u s i o n s . I n

most c a s e s t h e

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s n e c e s s i t a t e d

one o r m ore

c h a n g e s

o f

d r i p s i t e s o

t h a t 1 3

i n s e v e n

p a t i e n t s

were

u l t i m a t e l y a v a i l a b l e

f o r

a n a l y s i s .

P a t i e n t s , m e t h o d s ,

a nd

r e s u l t s

S e v e n c o n s e c u t i v e

p a t i e n t s

wh o w e r e

g i v e n n a f t i d r o f u r y l

i n f u s i o n s w e r e

s t u d i e d .

I n e a c h

c a s e t h e

i n d i c a t i o n

wa s s e v e r e l o w er l i m b

i s c h a e m i a

w i t h

r e s t

p a i n

i n a n

e l d e r l y p a t i e n t ( f i v e

m e n a n d tw o

w o m e n ) .

A s t a n d a r d

d o s e

o f

t h e

d r u g

w a s g i v e n

t w i c e

d a i l y ( 2 0 0 m g

i n

a b o u t 2 0 0 ml

o f

d e x t r o s e

o r

s a l i n e ) .

Th e

i n f u s i o n s i t e w a s

i n s p e c t e d

a f t e r e a c h d o s e

b y

on e

o f

u s :

t h e

a r e a o f

a n y

e r y t h e m a

o r t h r o m b o s i s

wa s m e a s u r e d

a n d t h e

p a t i e n t

a s k e d

a b o u t p a i n .

Th e

i n v e s t i g a t o r

d i d

n o t i nf l ue n ce t h e

t r e a t m e n t o r s e l e c t i o n o f

d r i p

s i t e s ,

a n d

i n some

c a s e s t h e i nf u s io n wa s c o n t i n u e d

a f t e r t h e f i r s t

s i g n s

o f

i n f l a m m a -

t i o n h a d

a p p e a r e d ( s e e t a b l e ) .

Ten c a s e s

o f

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s

o c c u r r e d i n 1 3 i n f u s i o n s

( s e e t a b l e ) .

Th e

a f f l i c t i o n

w a s

f a r more s e v e r e

a n d

d e v e l o p e d

f a r more

r a p i d l y

t h a n

i n f u s i o n

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s

s e e n w i t h

d e x t r o s e

5 O

o r

s a l i n e

a l o n e .

A l l

b u t

o n e

p a t i e n t

( c a s e 7 )

h a d a t

l e a s t o n e

e p i s o d e .

The tw o w o m e n w e r e

l e s s

s e v e r e l y a f f e c t e d ,

t h o u g h

t h e n u m b e r s

were t o o s m a l l t o

show

a

s i g n i f i c a n t

d i f f e r e n c e .

I n

s i x

c a s e s t h e

f i r s t

s i g n

o c c u r r e d a f t e r

o n l y

one

d o s e o f

t h e

d r u g - t h a t i s ,

a f t e r

a b o u t

tw o

h o u r s o f

i n f u s i o n .

F o r t u n a t e l y

t h e c o n d i t i o n

r e s o l v e d

a f t e r t h e

L o c a l t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s a f t e r a d m i n i s t e r i n g n a f t i d r o f u r y l

2 0 0

mg b y i n f u s i o n

o v e r

o n e a n d a h a l f t o t w o h o u r s

C a s e

C a n n u l a

A r e a o f L e n g t h o f

No

o f

d o s e s No o f

d o s e s

No S e x ( g a u g e a n d

t y p e )

D i l u e n t

D r i p

s i t e *

P a i n

e r y t h e m a t h r o m b o s i s

g i v e n b e f o r e f i r s t

S e v e r i t y t

 m m m m

s i g n

1

M

1 8 ,

M e d i c u t

5

  .

D e x t r o s e

R f o r e a r m

+ +

3 0 0

x

40

3 0 0

3 1 S

L f o r e a r m

 

17 5 x6 0

1 7 5 3

1

B u t t e r f l y

D e x t r o s e L

h a n d

1

 

2

M

1 8 ,

M e d i c u t

S a l i n e

R

f o r e a r m

 

+

1 7 0

x

5 0

1 4 0

2

1

S

3

M

1 8 ,

M e d i c u t 5

  , ,

D e x t r o s e

R f o r e a r m

+ Minimal

1 1 5

8

8

S

4

F

1 8 ,

M e d i c u t

{

I s o t o n i c

s a l i n e

L

f o r e a r m

+

1 3 0

x

3 0

1 3 0 6

2

5

4 1 8 , M e d i c u t

~ ~ ~ e x t r o s e s a l i n e

R

f o r e a r m

1

0

5

  A i  

1 8 ,

Medicut

 

I s o t o n i c

s a l i n e

L

R

f o r e a r m

+

8 5

x

4 0 1 4 0

5 2

S

s 8 , M e d i c u t

I s o t o n i c s a l i n e

~ R f o r e a r m +

2 1 0 x 5 0

1 0 0 4 1

5

6

M

1 8 ,

M e d i c u t

5

° ,

D e x t r o s e

RACF + + 210x50 2 1 0 4

1

S

 

7 F

1 8 , M e d i c u t

D e x t r o s e - s a l i n e L hand

_

Minimal

2 2

0

L R ACF=

L e f t

( r i g h t )

a n t e c u b i t a l

f o s s a .

t S +

 

V e r y

s e v e r e .

S = S e v e r e .

0

= N o n e .

c a n n u l a

w a s r e m o v e d .

The p a in w a s s e v e r e

i n some

c a s e s a n d w a s r e l i e v e d

w i t h k a o l i n p o u l t i c e

a n d m i l d o r a l a n a l g e s i c s .

Th e

i n f l a m m a t i o n s e t t l e d

o v e r

a b o u t

4 8

h o u r s b u t a l l

p a t i e n t s

w e r e l e f t w i t h

t h e   c o r d o f t h r o m b o s e d v e i n .

No c a s e s o f

s u p p u r a t i v e

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s

o c c u r r e d .

Co m m e n t

M i l d

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s i s a

c o m m o n c o m p l i c a t i o n

o f i nt r a ve n ou s

i n f u s i o n s : t h e

r e p o r t e d i n c i d e n c e i s

b e t w e e n 1 2

 

a n d

3 9

  ,

b u t

i t m ay

a p p r o a c h

1 0 0

 

i f t h e

i n f u s i o n s

a r e c o n t i n u e d f o r

l o n g e n o u g h .

I n t h e

c a s e s

r e p o r t e d

h e r e

t h e

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s b e g a n a f t e r o n l y

s h o r t

p e r i o d s

o f i n f u s i o n a n d

w a s

p a r t i c u l a r l y

s e v e r e .

We

b e l i e v e

t t t h i s

i s

a n

e f f e c t

o f n a f t i d r o f u r y l .

Th e a e t i o l o g y o f t h r o mb o p hl e b i t is i s

m u l t i f a c t o r i a l . Th e l o w pH o f

n a f t i d r o f u r y l ( 2 7 5 ) a n d t h e d i l u t i n g f l u i d ma y b e r e l e v a n t . C o m m e r c i a l

d e x t r o s e

  ,

f o

e x a m p l e , h a s a pH

a r o u n d

4 - 2 ,

b u t i f t h e pH

i s

r a i s e d t o a

p h y s i o l o g i c a l l e v e l t h e i n c i d e n c e o f t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s

i s

d r a m a t i c a l l y

r e d u c e d . ' N a f t i d r o f u r y l

2 0 0 m g

i n

2 0 0

ml o f d e x t ro s e -

s a l i n e

h a s a

pH

o f 3 - 4 .

W i t h n a f t i d r o f u r y l ,

h o w e v e r ,

t h e i n f l a m m a t i o n

b e g a n v e r y e a r l y

( o f t e n d u r i n g t h e f i r s t t w o h o u r s ) , a n d t h i s

i s n o t a

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c

o f

i n f u s i o n s

w i t h d e x t r o s e

o r s a l i n e a l o n e .

I t h a s l on g b e e n

r e c o g n i s e d

t h a t t h e t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s r a t e i n c r e a s e s

w i t h t h e

d u r a t i o n o f t h e

i n f u s i o n ,

b u t

E l f r i n g ,

i n

a l a r g e s e r i e s , r e c o r d e d   v e r y l o w

c o m p l i c a t i o n

r a t e

i n i n f u s i o n s l a s t i n g

l e s s t h a n t w o h o u r s , a n d t h e f e w

c a s e s o f

t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s

w e r e

m i l d . 2

Some

p a t i e n t

f a c t o r s p r e d i s p o s e t o i n f u s i o n t h r o m b o p h l e b i t i s ,

b u t

t h e s e w e r e n o t f o u n d c o n s i s t e n t l y i n o u r c a s e s : t h e y i n c l u d e s e v e r e

i l l n e s s , 3 m i d d l e

a g e , 1

2

t h e f e m a l e s e x , 2

a d j a c e n t i n f e c t i o n , a n d

b u r n s . 4

Ou r p a t i e n t s

w e r e i n a n a d v a n c e d s t a g e o f p e r i p h e r a l

v a s c u l a r

d i s e a s e

b u t w e r e

o t h e r w i s e w e l l . T h e ir a d v a n c e d a g e m i g h t

h a v e

b e e n

p r o t e c t i v e . Im m u ne d e f i c i e n c y s t a t e s h a v e b e e n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h i s

c o n d i t i o n , 4 b u t , a l t h o u g h t h e

immune s t a t u s o f

o u r

p a t i e n t s

w a s n o t

i n v e s t i g a t e d , we h a v e n o r e a s o n t o s u p p o s e t h a t

a n y

a b n o r m a l i t y

e x i s t e d .

Th e

f r e q u e n c y

a n d s e v e r i t y o f t h e r e a c t i o n s t h a t we

o b s e r v e d

w e r e

p r o b a b l y

d u e t o some f a c t o r

i n n a f t i d r o f u r y l o t h e r

t h a n t h e p H .

S e v e r a l s t u d i e s h a v e s h o w n

t h e d a m a g i n g e f f e c t s o f d ru g s a d d e d t o

i n f u s i o n s a n d d i f f e r e n t

f a c t o r s a r e e n t a i l e d

w i t h e a c h d r u g . 5

To

c l a r i f y

t h e

e f f e c t s o f

n a f t i d r o f u r y l we a r e u n d e rt a k i ng a n i ma l s t u d i e s .

I n

t h e m e a n t i m e i t

w o u l d s e e m w i s e when i n f u s i n g

n a f t i d r o f u r y l t o

c h a n g e

t h e

d r i p

s i t e

o f t e n ,

i f p o s s i b l e a f t e r e a c h d o s e . I t i s n o t y e t c l e a r

w h e t h e r n a f t i d r o f u r y l h a s

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2

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