Abstract
The St. George’s Filtrometer was designed to differentiate between the two major factors effecting blood filterability: red cell transit and filter clogging. Using this method, blood filterability was studied in 20 patients suffering from intermittent claudication. Pentoxifylline (RentylinR) improved filterability of blood cell suspensions of standardized red and white cell counts. A statistically significant but small (5%) increase of red cell deformability accompanied with an apparently more significant (36%) decrease of filter clogging was found. This seems to reflect qualitative change of leucocytes. It is suggested, that besides improving intrinsic red cell deformability, Pentoxyfilline might have an other, possibly important pharmacological action in peripheral vascular disease.
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