Pentoxifylline for sickle-cell disease.
OBJECTIVE
To review the use of pentoxifylline for the prevention and treatment of acute vasoocclusive episodes (VOEs) in sickle-cell disease (SCD).


METHODS
Searches of MEDLINE (1965-April 2000), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-April 2000), and Science Citation Index Expanded (1989-April 2000) were performed using the key search terms sickle-cell disease, pentoxifylline, oxypentifylline, and Trental.


RESULTS
Patients with SCD commonly suffer from painful VOEs. Pentoxifylline may be useful in this condition due to its ability to increase red blood cell deformability and inhibit platelet aggregation. Laboratory evidence, an animal model, and case reports suggest a benefit, but available clinical studies are methodologically poor, and data analysis is often inappropriate or absent. Limited data suggest that pentoxifylline is beneficial for treatment of a VOE in progress, but no data exist demonstrating a reduction in the number of VOEs with chronic pentoxifylline therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Documentation of the efficacy of pentoxifylline for VOE prevention and treatment of SCD is poor, further studies are needed before its routine use is recommended.
Sherer
J T
JT
Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA. jsherer@tmh.tmc.edu
Glover
P H
PH
D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D010431:Pentoxifylline