THE EFFECT OF PENTOXIFYLLINE ON RETINAL CAPILLARY BLOOD-FLOW VELOCITYAND WHOLE-BLOOD VISCOSITY

Ten normal, healthy, nonsmoking volunteers participated in a double-ma sked, placebo-controlled one-day trial of 2,000 mg of oral pentoxifyll ine to determine the short-term effects of orally administered pentoxi fylline on retinal circulation and rheologic properties of whole blood . Retinal capillary blood velocity and leukocyte density, whole blood viscosity, and whole blood filterability were measured before and afte r therapy by the blue-field entoptic phenomenon computer simulation, r otational viscometry, and micropore filtration techniques, respectivel y. Treatment with pentoxifylline for one day resulted in a significant improvement in retinal capillary blood flow velocity (P = .02) and in viscosity (P < .01), but not filterability, of whole blood. These res ults suggest that pentoxifylline may be useful in the treatment of ear ly diabetic retinopathy.