Effect of Triflusal on Primary Vascular Dysregulation Compared with Aspirin: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Crossover Trial

PURPOSE Primary vascular dysregulation (PVD) is a condition in which the response to cold temperature or external stimuli is abnormal. We investigated whether triflusal use results in amelioration of PVD symptoms and improvement of several related parameters compared with aspirin. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty-eight PVD patients (54% female, 56±8 years) were randomly selected to receive either triflusal (300 mg, b.i.d.) or aspirin (150 mg, b.i.d.) for a period of 6 weeks followed by crossover. PVD was defined as both red-blood-cell standstill in video-assisted microscopic capillaroscopy during cold stimulation using carbon dioxide gas and a score of more than 7 points in a validated questionnaire. Efficacy of treatment was assessed by 1) cold intolerance symptom severity (CISS) score, 2) finger Doppler indices, and 3) indocyanine green perfusion imaging. RESULTS The use of triflusal resulted in a greater improvement in CISS score (44.5±18.4 vs. 51.9±16.2; p<0.001) and in mean radial peak systolic velocity (69.8±17.2 vs. 66.1±16.4; p=0.011) compared to aspirin. Furthermore, significant differences were also observed in perfusion rates on indocyanine green perfusion imaging between triflusal and aspirin (45.6±25.8 vs. 51.6±26.9; p=0.020). CONCLUSION Triflusal was more effective and demonstrated a more consistent impact on the improvement of symptoms and blood flow in patients with PVD than aspirin.