Rheological, cardiorespiratory and cerebrovascular effects of pentoxifylline following acclimatization to 3800 meters

Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2024 Jan 19. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00783.2023. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPentoxifylline is a non-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor used for the treatment of peripheral artery disease. Pentoxifylline acts through cyclic adenosine monophosphate, thereby enhancing red blood cell deformability, causing vasodilation and decreasing inflammation, and potentially stimulating ventilation. We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, counterbalanced study to test the hypothesis that pentoxifylline could lower blood viscosity, enhance cerebral blood flow and decrease pulmonary artery pressure in lowlanders following 11-14 days at 3800m. Participants (6M/10F; age=27±4 years) received either a placebo or 400 mg of pentoxifylline orally the night before and again two-hours before testing. We assessed arterial blood gases, venous hemorheology (blood viscosity, red blood cell deformability and aggregation) and inflammation (TNF-α) in room-air (end-tidal oxygen partial pressure ~52 mmHg). Global cerebral blood flow (gCBF), ventilation and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) were measured in room air and again after 8-10 minutes of isocapnic hypoxia (end-tidal oxygen partial pressure: 40 mmHg). Pentoxifylline did not alter arterial blood gases, TNF-α, or hemorheology compared to placebo. Pentoxifylline did not affect gCBF or ventilation during room-air or isocapnic hypoxia compared to placebo. However, in females, PASP was reduce...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research