title: Pentoxifylline increases retinal capillary blood flow velocity in patients with diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether oral pentoxifylline would improve retinal microvascular hemodynamics and blood rheology in patients with diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were enrolled in a double-masked, placebo-controlled trial of pentoxifylline at 2000 mg/d. Retinal capillary blood velocity and leukocyte density, filterability, viscosity, and fibrinogen content were measured by the blue-field entoptic phenomenon simulation, filtration, rotational viscosimetry, and heat precipitation techniques, respectively, before, during, and after drug therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with pentoxifylline resulted in a 23.2%, 26.8%, and 37.8% increase in capillary blood flow velocity at 1, 2, and 3 months of therapy, respectively, with a return to pretreatment baseline levels 1 month after cessation of therapy. There were no apparent effects on the remaining variables during treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pentoxifylline increases retinal capillary blood flow velocity in patients with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Sonkin
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hatchell
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D002196:Capillaries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D018056:Hemorheology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen; D010431:Pentoxifylline