Effects of pentoxifylline on proteinuria in normotensive patients with diabetes mellitus

In 1985, investigators reported that four months of pentoxifylline therapy resulted in a significant decrease in proteinuria (46 percent reduction) and plasma fibrinogen concentrations (18 percent reduction) in patients with diabetes. Our study evaluated four normotensive patients with diabetes and documented proteinuria who were treated with pentoxifylline 400 mg tid for four months. A consistent decrease in proteinuria (as measured by the urine protein/creatinine ratio) and plasma fibrinogen concentrations was not observed. Therapy with pentoxifylline was discontinued after four months.