title: Recurrence of retinal vein thrombosis with Pycnogenol® or Aspirin® supplementation: a registry study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to use Pycnogenol® to reduce the recurrence of retinal vein thrombosis (RVT) after a first episode. Pycnogenol® is an anti-inflammatory, anti-edema and an antiplatelet agent with a "mild" antithrombotic activity. The registry, using Pycnogenol® was aimed at reducing the number of repeated episodes of RVT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Possible management options--chosen by patients--were: standard management; standard management + oral Aspirin® 100 mg once/day (if there were no tolerability problems before admission); standard management + Pycnogenol® two 50 mg capsules per day (for a total of 100 mg/day). Number of subjects, age, sex, distribution, percentage of smokers, and vision were comparable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recurrent RVT was seen in 17.39% of controls and in 3.56% of subjects supplemented with Pycnogenol® (P<0.05 vs. controls). There was RVT in 15.38% of the subjects using Aspirin®. The incidence of RVT was 4.88 times higher with standard management in comparison with the supplement group and 4.32 lower with Pycnogenol® supplementation in comparison with Aspirin®. Vision level was better with Pycnogenol® (20/25 at nine months; P<0.05). With Pycnogenol®, edema at the retinal level was also significantly reduced compared to the other groups. Pycnogenol® has a very good safety profile. In the Aspirin® group 26 completed 9 months and 6 subjects dropped out for tolerability problems. In the Aspirin® group, 2 minor, subclinical, retinal, hemorrhagic episodes during the follow-up were observed (2 subjects out of 26, equivalent to 7.69%). This pilot registry indicates that Pycnogenol® seems to reduce the recurrence of RVT without side effects. It does not induce new hemorrhagic episodes that may be theoretically linked to the use of Aspirin® (or other antiplatelets).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger studies should be planned involving a wider range of conditions, diseases and risk factors associated to RVT and to its recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Irvine3 Labs, Circulation Sciences Chieti‑Pescara University, Italy - cardres@abol.it.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Belcaro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dugall
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luzzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ledda
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Feragalli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Cornelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gizzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosoi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012042:Registries; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C024070:pycnogenols; D001241:Aspirin