title: Impact of cilostazol on the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with retinal vascular occlusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cilostazol, a selective phosphodiesterase three inhibitor, has been proposed to have beneficial effects in the prevention of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the effects of cilostazol on carotid intima-media thickening (IMT) and total plaque area (TPA) in patients with retinal vascular occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 63 consecutive vascular occlusive retinopathy patients with carotid atherosclerosis were enrolled. We examined changes in the carotid IMT/TPA and visual acuity/macular thickness before and after 1-year treatment with cilostazol (200 mg/day).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean IMT of both common carotid arteries (CCAs) and internal carotid arteries (ICAs) were significantly reduced after cilostazol treatment. There was no significant difference in the TPA of both CCAs before and after the treatment (before; 0.61 ± 0.94 vs. after; 0.45 ± 0.79 cm(2) , P = 0.291); however, significant plaque regression (before; 0.14 ± 0.15 vs. after; 0.25 ± 0.14 cm(2) , P = 0.004) was observed in selected patients (n = 30) with a TPA <0.5 cm(2) . The improvement in macular thickness was significantly associated with an improvement in carotid IMT (r = 0.42, P = 0.001) and TPA (r = 0.23, P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cilostazol potently inhibited the progression of carotid IMT and may play a role in the early carotid plaque regression in patients with retinal vascular occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maryknoll Medical Center, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoung-Im
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D000077407:Cilostazol; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058987:Phosphodiesterase 3 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000188:drug therapy; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D058987:Phosphodiesterase 3 Inhibitors; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000077407:Cilostazol
keywords: Atherosclerosis; carotid arteries; cilostazol; retinopathy