Successful application of pentoxifylline in the treatment of HTLV-I associated myelopathy.
Fifteen patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (HAM) were treated in an uncontrolled preliminary trial by oral administration of pentoxifylline (PTX). Motor function, neurological evaluation, immunological markers and parameters were evaluated after four weeks. In 13 of the 15 patients, motor disability, especially spasticity, improved substantially. PTX suppressed spontaneous proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 14 of the 15 patients at four weeks. No adverse effect was observed. We concluded that PTX may be a safe and beneficial agent for the treatment of HAM.
Shirabe
S
S
First Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
Nakamura
T
T
Tsujino
A
A
Nishiura
Y
Y
Furuya
T
T
Goto
H
H
Suenaga
A
A
Nakane
S
S
Yoshimura
T
T
Nagataki
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019562:Viral Load
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D010431:Pentoxifylline