Administration of Cilostazol, an Antiplatelet, to Patients with Acute-stage Cerebral Infarction and Its Effects on Plasma Substance P Level and Latent Time of Swallowing Reflex

[Background and Objective] It has been reported that medical treatment with cilostazol (cilo) as an antiplatelet may increase a substance P level in the striatum to shorten the latent time of swallowing reflex (LTSR). We undertook a pilot study to confirm whether cilo administration to patients with cerebral infarction is effective in increasing their plasma substance P level and then in ameliorating the status of LTSR. [Methods and Subjects] Eligible subjects were recruited, after informed consents, from 20 hospitalized patients with acute-phase cerebral infarction within 72 hours from the onset. At the start of treatment, the subjects were assigned at random to those given aspirin alone (non-cilo group) and those given aspirin plus cilo (cilo group). Plasma substance P levels and LTSR values were measured at the starting point (baseline), 28 days after, and 180 days after. [Results and Discussion] No significant time-dependent change in plasma substance P level was found probably because of large individual differences but, 28 days after the start of treatment, this value tended to become higher in cilo group than in non-cilo group (P