title: Pentoxifylline lowers plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 levels in obese individuals: a pilot study.
abstract: Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), the primary inhibitor of fibrinolysis and C-reactive protein (CRP), is a predictor of myocardial infarction. Both are upregulated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) within the obese population. This pilot study tested the hypothesis that TNF-α blockade with pentoxifylline lowers PAI-1 and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) in obese individuals. Twenty participants were treated with pentoxifylline for 8 weeks. A proportional odds model was used to compare the change in PAI-1 and CRP in the pentoxifylline and placebo groups. Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, but not hsCRP levels, decreased over the 8-week period of the study (P = .025 and P = NS). There was significant dropout of participants due to drug tolerability. These findings suggest that these markers of cardiovascular risk are differentially regulated in obesity and that PAI-1 levels can be reduced by pentoxifylline in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. james.muldowney@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: James A S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Muldowney
authors.forename: Qingxia
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dana L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Blakemore
authors.forename: Douglas E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D011498:Protein Precursors; D010431:Pentoxifylline