# STANOZOLOL IN THE ELDERLY WITH VENOUS ULCERS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 1993 · $157,086

## Abstract

Venous (stasis) ulceration of the lower extremity is a problem of
ever-increasing magnitude in the United States.  Most patients are
elderly and two thirds are women.  Venous ulcers incapacitate the elderly
and add to their frailty.  An established treatment for venous ulcers is
the application of leg compression bandages, such as the Unna boot, which
reduce lower extremity venous hypertension by enhancing the action of the
calf muscle pump.  Recently, it has been proposed that venous
hypertension causes the formation of pericapillary fibrin cuffs, which
result in ulceration by interfering with the proper exchange of oxygen
and other nutrients between blood and dermis.  More recent evidence
suggests that fibrin may bind to or render unavailable specific
growth-regulatory peptides.  The pathogenic role of fibrin is still not
clear, but the presence of tissue hypoxia, profound alterations of
systemic fibrinolysis, and dermal pericapillary fibrin cuffs in patients
with venous ulcers are well established.

Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid with fibrinolytic properties, has been
reported to improve venous  disease and ulcers caused by intravascular
fibrin deposition.  By increasing muscle mass, stanozolol also has the
potential to improve lower extremity strength and the function of the
calf muscle pump.  The hypothesis of this proposal is that stanozolol can
improve venous disease and frailty in elderly patients due to its
positive effects on both muscle strength and fibrin degradation.  We
propose a randomized, double-blind, 24-week trial of orally administered
stanozolol vs placebo in elderly patients with venous ulcers.  The
primary objective will be to determine the therapeutic effect and safety
of stanozolol in ulcer healing.  We will also investigate the effects of
stanozolol on lower extremity muscle strength, calf muscle pump action,
and somatomedin levels.  The fibrinolytic action of stanozolol will be
assessed by measurements of fibrinogen, D-dimer, and tissue plasminogen
activator.

It is hoped that these studies will establish stanozolol as an effective
and rational treatment for ulcer healing and physical frailty in elderly
patients with venous ulcers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122971
- **Project number:** 5R01AG010998-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** F8THLJQSAF93
- **Principal Investigator:** Vincent Falanga
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $157,086
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-09-01 → 1995-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122971

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122971, STANOZOLOL IN THE ELDERLY WITH VENOUS ULCERS (5R01AG010998-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122971. Licensed CC0.

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