Vascular atherosclerotic disease: evaluation of the whole-blood filterability and red cell membrane microrheological pattern after intravenous administration of a single dose of pentoxifylline.

A study was carried out in 10 patients with vascular atherosclerotic disease to investigate the effects of a single dose of 300 mg pentoxifylline, given by intravenous infusion over 30 minutes, on various macrorheological and microrheological parameters. Measurements were made at baseline, at the end of the intravenous infusion and again 30 minutes later, of whole-blood filterability, erythrocyte membrane fluidity (using pyrene as probe) and transverse fluidity gradient (using fluorescent fatty acids as probes). The results showed that there was a significant variation in whole-blood filterability and the red cell membrane fluidity gradient after pentoxifylline. No difference, however, was noted for the membrane fluidity. These data suggest, therefore, that pentoxifylline plays a role in affecting the red cell membrane microrheological pattern.