Pentoxifylline is not a promising treatment for multiple sclerosis in progression phase

Neurology. 1998 Nov;51(5):1483-6. doi: 10.1212/wnl.51.5.1483.

Abstract

Fourteen MS patients took pentoxifylline at varying doses for up to 24 months. In vitro production of tumor necrosis factor alpha was reduced in patients taking 2,400 to 3,200 mg/day of pentoxifylline for 12 weeks or more. Twelve of the 14 patients experienced worsening of the disease during the study according to clinical, MRI, or visual evoked potential criteria. These results provide no hint of efficacy for pentoxifylline as a treatment for MS in progression phase.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / drug effects
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology
  • Humans
  • Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Multiple Sclerosis / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / immunology
  • Multiple Sclerosis / physiopathology*
  • Pentoxifylline / therapeutic use*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Failure
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Pentoxifylline