Pentoxifylline increases retinal capillary blood flow velocity in patients with diabetes.
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.
Sonkin
P L
PL
Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Kelly
L W
LW
Sinclair
S H
SH
Hatchell
D L
DL
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*
D005340:Fibrinogen; D010431:Pentoxifylline