Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate effect of oral pentoxifylline in optic neuropathies of different etiologies. METHOD: Thirty two patients (42 eyes) with different stages of optic atrophy of less than 1 year duration were selected for the study. They were randomly divided into two groups. Treatment group was given oral pentoxifylline 16-18mg/kg body weight administered in two equal divided doses. Patients in Control group were kept on placebo for minimum of 6 months. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was recorded at one, three and 6 months using Snellen’s visual acuity charts. RESULTS: All patients completed minimum 6 month of treatment. In Treatment group, 03 eyes had pre-treatment visual acuity of light perception (PL), which at the end of 6 months of treatment attained BCVA of 20/80, 20/200, and finger counting at 2 feet respectively. Another 4 eyes in the treatment group had pre-treatment BCVA of no light perception (NPL) which showed no improvement after 6 months of therapy. In control group 7 eyes with PL or NPL showed no improvement. Among rest of the patients, in treatment group pre-treatment and 6 month post-treatment median BCVA were 1.35 ± 0.44 and 0.75 ± 0.45 respectively (p=0.002, CI = -0.9 to -0.25), while in control group, pre-treatment and post treatment median BCVA was 1.32 ± 0.42 and 1.31 ± 0.42 respectively (p=0.157, CI = -0. 5 to 0.0), respectively. CONCLUSION: Oral Pentoxifylline causes functional improvement as suggested by improved BCVA, without causing any gross structural changes in the optic disc. It has no effect on pupillary reaction as well.
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