title: Electrophysiological assessment of glaucomatous visual dysfunction during treatment with cytidine-5'-diphosphocholine (citicoline): a study of 8 years of follow-up.
abstract: In this study we assessed, by simultaneous recordings of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and pattern-electroretinograms (PERGs), the effects cytidine-5'-diphosphocholine (citicoline) on retinal function and/or visual cortical responses in glaucoma patients. Thirty glaucoma patients were randomly divided into two age-matched groups: patients in group GC (15 patients) were treated with citicoline (1,000 mg/die intramuscularly) for 2 months; patients in group GP (15 patients) were treated with placebo for 2 months. After 4 months of wash-out (month 6), GC patients underwent a further 2-month period of citicoline treatment (months 7-8) followed by another 4-month period of wash-out (months 9-12). In GP patients the wash-out was extended for a further 6 months (months 7-12). During the following 13-96 months, GC patients received additional 2-month periods of treatment with citicoline (each period followed by 4 months of wash-out) for a total of 16 periods in 8 years. GP patients were also examined at months 24, 26, 48, 60, 72, 84 and 96. In GC patients the first two treatments with citicoline induced a significant (p <0.01) improvement of VEP and PERG parameters with respect to pre-treatment conditions. VEPs and PERGs recorded in GC patients after the first wash-out revealed that, although there was a worsening trend, the electrophysiological improvement was still maintained with respect to baseline conditions. The additional periods of citicoline treatment in GC patients during the subsequent 13-96 months induced a greater (p <0.01) improvement of VEP and PERG parameters with respect to pre-treatment conditions and when compared to GP patients. Thus, we observed that citicoline significantly improves retinal and cortical bioelectrical responses in glaucoma patients, suggesting a potential use of this substance in the medical treatment of glaucoma, as a complement to hypotensive therapy.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione per l'Oftalmologia G.B. Bietti-ONLUS, Via Santa Maria Goretti 66, 00199, Roma, Italy. vparisi@tin.it
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parisi
mesh_terms: D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004596:Electroretinography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline