Amelioration of blood viscosity in sickle cell anemia by pentoxifylline. A case report.

An 18 year old female patient with homozygous sickle cell anemia (HbSS: HbS 65% and HbF 4.9%) has been suffering from painful hemolytic crises about once a week since her childhood. Under treatment with pentoxifylline (2.4 gm daily in three divided doses), the blood viscosity decreased from 6.7 to 4.9 cP (normal: 4.3 to 5.3 cP at shear rate 46/sec) and the erythrocyte filtration accelerated from 127 to 77 sec (normal: 30 to 49 sec). Though hemolysis could not be prevented by pentoxifylline, there was no further demand for analgesic medication even in the hemolytic state. By decreasing blood viscosity and improving microcirculation, pentoxifylline may prevent the vasoocclusive complications of sickle cell anemia.