Treatment of claudication with pentoxifylline: are benefits related to improvement in viscosity?

Forty-five patients with short-distance claudication were treated with pentoxifylline. The initial claudication distance increased significantly (32.5 m, p = 0.02) and the absolute claudication distance (ACD) increased significantly (49.5 m, p = 0.001) while the patients were receiving pentoxifylline. Patients with initial elevated viscosity levels were more likely to have decreased viscosity with pentoxifylline than were patients with normal viscosity levels (p = 0.01). No significant improvement in ACD or viscosity was noted in 51% of patients. Both ACD and viscosity improved in 15% of patients, viscosity improved without improvement in ACD in 9%, and ACD improved without improvement in viscosity in 25%.