Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking Distance

<b>Objective</b>: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a prevalent vascular condition characterized by arterial narrowing, which impairs blood flow and manifests as intermittent claudication, a pain or cramping sensation induced by physical activity or ambulation. Walking distance is a cru...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dénes Lőrinczy, Dorottya Szabó, László Benkő
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Pharmaceuticals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/1/60
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832587750941917184
author Dénes Lőrinczy
Dorottya Szabó
László Benkő
author_facet Dénes Lőrinczy
Dorottya Szabó
László Benkő
author_sort Dénes Lőrinczy
collection DOAJ
description <b>Objective</b>: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a prevalent vascular condition characterized by arterial narrowing, which impairs blood flow and manifests as intermittent claudication, a pain or cramping sensation induced by physical activity or ambulation. Walking distance is a crucial clinical indicator of peripheral artery disease, and it correlates with the disease severity and risk of mortality. It reflects the severity of the disease, with reduced mobility indicating an increased risk of morbidity. It can also inform on the efficacy of the treatment. Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, has been demonstrated to enhance walking distance in patients with peripheral artery disease through the dilation of blood vessels and the inhibition of platelet aggregation. With this preliminary study, we aimed to elucidate other possible effects of cilostazol, specifically its influence on the structural properties of red blood cells. <b>Methods</b>: 10 patients (5 men, 5 women) with PAD were treated with cilostazol over a three-month period. Its biochemical effects on RBCs were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Patient’s blood samples were collected at the start of treatment, then after two weeks, one month, two months, and three months of therapy. <b>Results</b>: The DSC analysis revealed shifts in thermal properties, including change in peak (melting or denaturation) temperature (<b>T<sub>p</sub></b>) and calorimetric enthalpy (<b>ΔH<sub>cal</sub></b>), which indicate significant structural changes in red blood cells. These thermal property changes correlated with clinical improvements in walking distance reported by patients. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our findings suggest that cilostazol induces substantial biochemical modifications in red blood cells, enhancing their functional properties and contributing to improved clinical outcomes. This study highlights the potential of differential scanning calorimetry as an adjunctive method for assessing the effectiveness of treatments for peripheral artery disease at the cellular level. However, further investigation with larger patient cohorts is required to confirm these initial results.
format Article
id doaj-art-ed35294cca5143b2ba27623e61ccad09
institution Kabale University
issn 1424-8247
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Pharmaceuticals
spelling doaj-art-ed35294cca5143b2ba27623e61ccad092025-01-24T13:45:14ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472025-01-011816010.3390/ph18010060Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking DistanceDénes Lőrinczy0Dorottya Szabó1László Benkő2Department of Biophysics, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs Szigeti Str. 12, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Vascular Surgery, Medical School, University of Pécs, H-7624 Pécs, HungaryDepartment of Vascular Surgery, Medical School, University of Pécs, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary<b>Objective</b>: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a prevalent vascular condition characterized by arterial narrowing, which impairs blood flow and manifests as intermittent claudication, a pain or cramping sensation induced by physical activity or ambulation. Walking distance is a crucial clinical indicator of peripheral artery disease, and it correlates with the disease severity and risk of mortality. It reflects the severity of the disease, with reduced mobility indicating an increased risk of morbidity. It can also inform on the efficacy of the treatment. Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, has been demonstrated to enhance walking distance in patients with peripheral artery disease through the dilation of blood vessels and the inhibition of platelet aggregation. With this preliminary study, we aimed to elucidate other possible effects of cilostazol, specifically its influence on the structural properties of red blood cells. <b>Methods</b>: 10 patients (5 men, 5 women) with PAD were treated with cilostazol over a three-month period. Its biochemical effects on RBCs were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Patient’s blood samples were collected at the start of treatment, then after two weeks, one month, two months, and three months of therapy. <b>Results</b>: The DSC analysis revealed shifts in thermal properties, including change in peak (melting or denaturation) temperature (<b>T<sub>p</sub></b>) and calorimetric enthalpy (<b>ΔH<sub>cal</sub></b>), which indicate significant structural changes in red blood cells. These thermal property changes correlated with clinical improvements in walking distance reported by patients. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our findings suggest that cilostazol induces substantial biochemical modifications in red blood cells, enhancing their functional properties and contributing to improved clinical outcomes. This study highlights the potential of differential scanning calorimetry as an adjunctive method for assessing the effectiveness of treatments for peripheral artery disease at the cellular level. However, further investigation with larger patient cohorts is required to confirm these initial results.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/1/60cilostazolperipheral arterial diseaseintermittent claudicationDSChuman red blood cells
spellingShingle Dénes Lőrinczy
Dorottya Szabó
László Benkő
Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking Distance
Pharmaceuticals
cilostazol
peripheral arterial disease
intermittent claudication
DSC
human red blood cells
title Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking Distance
title_full Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking Distance
title_fullStr Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking Distance
title_full_unstemmed Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking Distance
title_short Preliminary Study by Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of Red Blood Cells in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients Treated with Cilostazol: Correlation with Improvements in Walking Distance
title_sort preliminary study by differential scanning calorimetric analysis of red blood cells in peripheral artery disease patients treated with cilostazol correlation with improvements in walking distance
topic cilostazol
peripheral arterial disease
intermittent claudication
DSC
human red blood cells
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/1/60
work_keys_str_mv AT deneslorinczy preliminarystudybydifferentialscanningcalorimetricanalysisofredbloodcellsinperipheralarterydiseasepatientstreatedwithcilostazolcorrelationwithimprovementsinwalkingdistance
AT dorottyaszabo preliminarystudybydifferentialscanningcalorimetricanalysisofredbloodcellsinperipheralarterydiseasepatientstreatedwithcilostazolcorrelationwithimprovementsinwalkingdistance
AT laszlobenko preliminarystudybydifferentialscanningcalorimetricanalysisofredbloodcellsinperipheralarterydiseasepatientstreatedwithcilostazolcorrelationwithimprovementsinwalkingdistance