Treatment of diabetic neuropathy with pentoxifylline: case report

Diabetic neuropathy includes a heterogenous group of neuropathic syndromes associated with diabetes mellitus. One form of diabetic neuropathy is distal symmetric polyneuropathy, which is characterized at a late stage by intractable pain. This pain is generally refractory to present modalities of therapy except for narcotics. Pentoxifylline offers a new approach to therapy, reducing the blood viscosity and improving perfusion of ischemic microcirculation. A case report will be presented of intractable painful peripheral neuropathy responding dramatically to pentoxifylline therapy.