Immediate improvement of diabetic mononeuropathy after intravenous administration of prostaglandin E1

The effects of intravenously administered prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on diabetic mononeuropathy was investigated in three patients with diabetic oculomotor palsy. PGE1 (1.0-1.5 micrograms/day) was intravenously administered every morning for 4 or 6 weeks. Diplopia, blepharoptosis and decreased range of ocular movement, which were observed on admission, immediately began to improve at 1-4 days after the beginning of the treatment. On the final day of the treatment, none of the above signs remained in the three cases. The present study suggests that improvement of intraneural microcirculation by PGE1 administration results in an immediate recovery from diabetic oculomotor nerve palsy.