Open AccessPENTOXIFYLLINE IN ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE PATIENTS WITH BLOOD HYPERVISCOSITY
Author(s) -
Al Rasyid,
Salim Harris,
Eny Nurhayat,
Joedo Prihartono
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of applied pharmaceutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.238
H-Index - 15
ISSN - 0975-7058
DOI - 10.22159/ijap.2018.v10s1.68
Subject(s) - pentoxifylline , medicine , hyperviscosity , modified rankin scale , barthel index , blood viscosity , stroke (engine) , confidence interval , hemorheology , anesthesia , ischemic stroke , surgery , physical therapy , ischemia , activities of daily living , mechanical engineering , engineering
Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy of pentoxifylline, a hemorrheologic agent, for treating acute ischemic stroke in patients with bloodhyperviscosity.Methods: Patients were randomly allocated within 3 days of stroke onset to study or control treatment. All the patients received the standard acuteischemic stroke treatment. The study treatment was intravenous pentoxifylline 1200 mg/day for 5 consecutive days and oral pentoxifylline 800 mgin two divided doses for 23 days. Blood viscosity was evaluated on days 7 and 30. The outcomes were assessed by the National Institutes of HealthStroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale, and Barthel index (BI) criteria.Results: The median baseline viscosity was 6.89 poise in the study and 6.46 poise in the control groups and had decreased in all the patients ondays 7 and 30. The decrease in the study group on day 7 (1.13 poise) was greater than that in the control group (0.57 poise); the difference was notsignificant. The NIHSS score improved by 32% in the study group (relative risk [RR]=1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.421–3.556; p=1.00). At1-month, 67% of the study group had a good functional outcome (RR=1.026, 95% CI: 0.656–1.605; p=0.909).Conclusion: Pentoxifylline decreased blood viscosity and improved clinical outcome in this patient series.