Pentoxifylline increases retinal capillary blood flow velocity in patients with diabetes
P. L. Sonkin, L. W. Kelly, S. H. Sinclair and D. L. Hatchell
Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether oral
pentoxifylline would improve retinal microvascular hemodynamics and blood
rheology in patients with diabetes. DESIGN: Patients were enrolled in a
double-masked, placebo-controlled trial of pentoxifylline at 2000 mg/d.
Retinal capillary blood velocity and leukocyte density, filterability,
viscosity, and fibrinogen content were measured by the blue-field entoptic
phenomenon simulation, filtration, rotational viscosimetry, and heat
precipitation techniques, respectively, before, during, and after drug
therapy. RESULTS: Treatment with pentoxifylline resulted in a 23.2%, 26.8%,
and 37.8% increase in capillary blood flow velocity at 1, 2, and 3 months
of therapy, respectively, with a return to pretreatment baseline levels 1
month after cessation of therapy. There were no apparent effects on the
remaining variables during treatment. CONCLUSION: Pentoxifylline increases
retinal capillary blood flow velocity in patients with diabetes.
