Diabetic retinal vascular complications and erythrocyte filtrability; results of a 2-year follow-up study with pentoxifylline.

A long-term trial with oral pentoxifylline ("Trental" 400) in a dosage of 1200 mg per day was carried out in 70 diabetic patients with and without vascular afflictions. A statistically significant improvement in erythrocyte filtrability and a statistically significant reduction in fibrinogen levels were observed after 2 months of therapy; the significant improvement in both parameters was maintained throughout the 24 months of treatment. Blood rheology normalization was followed by a marked reduction in proteinuria and albumin excretion rate. After pentoxifylline administration, an improvement in both microvascular and macrovascular afflictions was demonstrated. The results of this study suggest that pentoxifylline is an effective drug for the long-term treatment of diabetic vascular complications and that it may also possibly depress or prevent the progress of the disease.