Treatment of vascular inner ear disease with pentoxifylline: a 4-week, controlled, randomized trial

Angiology. 2002 Jan-Feb:53 Suppl 1:S19-22.

Abstract

The efficacy of pentoxifylline (PXF) in vascular inner ear disease (VIED) was studied comparing PXF and placebo in a 4-week study; 60 patients with unilateral loss of hearing, vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus (analyzed with an analogue scale line), and cochlear flow reduction were included. The aim of the study was to study the effect of PXF (1800 mg/day) in VIED considering clinical outcome and cochlear flow. All patients completed the study. Improvement in cochlear flow (p<0.05) and a decrease in score in both groups were observed. The cochlear flow increase was 287.5% in the PXF group vs 168% in the placebo group (119.5% difference; p<0.02). There was a difference in score decrease (44.1% larger) in the PXF group (p<0.05). PXF was more effective considering flow and symptoms.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Cochlea / blood supply
  • Cochlea / drug effects
  • Cochlea / physiopathology
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Ear Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Ear Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Ear, Inner / drug effects*
  • Ear, Inner / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Hemorheology / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Compliance
  • Pentoxifylline / therapeutic use*
  • Regional Blood Flow / drug effects
  • Regional Blood Flow / physiology
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vascular Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Vascular Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Vasodilator Agents / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Pentoxifylline