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Intravital Video Microscopy Measurements of Retinal Blood Flow in Mice
Published on: December 26, 2013
Pentoxifylline increases retinal capillary blood flow velocity in patients with diabetes
P L Sonkin1, L W Kelly, S H Sinclair
1Department 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.
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