title: Treatment of vascular retinal disease with pentoxifylline: a controlled, randomized trial.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of PXF (1800 mg daily) in patients with sudden loss of vision (SLV) in a 4-week trial, evaluating clinical outcome and retinal flow parameters. Inclusion criteria were SLV associated with thrombosis of the retinal artery; decrease in retinal blood flow (PSF: peak-systolic flow; EDF: end-diastolic flow velocity) and asymmetry between the two retinal arteries (>40%) documented by duplex scanning. All 10 included patients completed the study. The groups were comparable. No side effects were reported. A significant improvement in flow velocity (p<0.05) and a decrease in analogue score in both groups were observed. PSF increase was 550% in the PXF group vs 288% in the placebo group (262% difference). EDF increase was 400% in the PXF group vs 200% in the placebo group (200% difference). There was a significant difference in the analogue score decrease (33.3% difference larger in the PXF group; p<0.05). In conclusion, PXF treatment improved retinal flow after retinal artery occlusion better than placebo and should be considered as an important option in this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chieti University and San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Pe, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Incandela
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cesarone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Belcaro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steigerwalt
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: De Sanctis
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geroulakos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramaswami
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D010431:Pentoxifylline