Does oxpentifylline ('Trental') have a place in the treatment of intermittent claudication?

In a randomized double-blind study, the clinical and haemorrheological responses of 40 patients receiving oxpentifylline (200 mg 3-times daily) were compared with those of 40 patients receiving placebo. The treatment period in both groups was 2 months. The parameters measured before and after treatment were: subjective response; claudication and maximum walking distances; ankle systolic indices; maximum blood flow in the lower limb by gravimetric plethysmography; plasma fibrinogen; erythrocyte deformability and whole blood viscosity. There was a significant increase (p less than 0.05) in mean erythrocyte deformability in the oxpentifylline group but not in the placebo group; this apparent difference between the groups, however, was not significant. The placebo group showed a significant improvement (p less than 0.05) in claudication distance and mean plasma fibrinogen concentration, but no such improvements were observed in the oxpentifylline group. There were no significant differences in either of the two groups with regard to the subjective response, ankle systolic indices, maximum limb blood flow or whole blood viscosity. It is concluded that oxpentifylline , when taken in oral form at the dose used in this study, increased erythrocyte deformability without conferring any clinical or haemorrheological benefit to patients with intermittent claudication.