Studies on the effect of short-term oral dihydroergotamine and troxerutin in patients with varicose veins

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and pharmacologic effects of dihydroergotamine and troxerutin on varicose veins. METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel-group study was conducted in 53 patients with primary varicose veins. Patients received either a fixed combination of 3 mg dihydroergotamine and 300 mg troxerutin three times a day or placebo for 3 weeks. Symptomatic improvement was assessed by a self-assessment score, venocontracting effects on a varicose vein were quantified by the venous compliance technique (VCT), and changes in venous dysfunction were measured by digital photoplethysmography (DPPG). RESULTS: A significant reduction (p < 0.01) of subjective symptoms was observed in both groups. Results from VCT and DPPG after the therapy with dihydroergotamine and troxerutin or placebo were not significantly different (p > 0.05) from pretreatment values. Furthermore, no significant intergroup difference was observed when the before- and after-therapy differences of values of the self-assessment scores (VCT and DPPG) were compared. CONCLUSION: In our study, 3 weeks of treatment with a fixed drug combination of 3 mg dihydroergotamine plus 300 mg troxerutin three times a day had no measurable effect compared with placebo on any of the evaluated end points.