Pentoxifylline, albumin excretion rate and proteinuria in type I and type II diabetic patients with microproteinuria. Results of a short-term randomized study

Abstract

An association between renal microvascular complications and hemorheological alterations has been suggested in diabetes mellitus. Therefore, a hemorheologic approach in the treatment of diabetic microproteinuria has been proposed. Eighty-two type I and type II diabetic patients with microproteinuria were randomized and assigned to two different protocols: protocol A, patients treated with pentoxifylline (Trental 400); protocol B, patients without hemorheologic treatment, in whom hypoglycemic therapy was just more strictly enforced. A significant improvement of the hemorheologic pattern and a significant marked reduction of albumin excretion rate and proteinuria was found in diabetic patients treated with pentoxifylline, independently of the degree of metabolic control. These results were readily achieved and were confirmed throughout the study. Moreover, these results were comparable to those obtained in diabetic patients of protocol B. Pentoxifylline might therefore be considered as the first useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of diabetic microproteinuria.