Clinical Research Directory

VIRTUOSE : Efficiency of Sildenafil on the Absolute Claudication Distance of Peripheral Arterial Disease Patients With Intermittent Claudication.

Sponsor: Rennes University Hospital

Summary

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a highly debilitating disease that affects 202 million people around the world and about 7 million people in France. Morbi-mortality from cardiovascular events is increased in this population. Intermittent claudication is defined as a discomfort and/or pain in the legs during walking. It is the most common clinical feature of PAD. In claudication, primary therapeutic approach is medical treatment and advice to walk. Revascularization is only proposed when medical treatment and advice to walk for at least 3 to 6 months have failed to improve symptoms and walking ability. Optimal medical treatment includes Antiplatelet, Lipid Lowering Drugs, AT2 antagonists / ACE Inhibitors and advice to walk. To date, no other drug has provided consistent evidence for functional improvement in claudication, except for Cilostazol, a type-3 phospho-diesterase inhibitor (PDEi). This compound has been scarcely used in France due to cost and frequent side effect (Headache, Flush, Diarrhea, etc.) and was withdrawn as a therapy in 2010. Sildenafil, a type 5 PDEi, is well tolerated, largely used in impotence and has interesting clinical delay and duration of action in the concept of a potential use in claudication. Preliminary data from the literature and unpublished case reports, suggest that this drug could efficiently improve symptoms and walking capacity in patients with stage 2 claudication.

Official title: VIRTUOSE : Efficiency of Sildenafil on the Absolute Claudication Distance of Peripheral Arterial Disease Patients With Intermittent Claudication. A Phase III, National, Multicentre, Prospective, Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

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