Studies on vasoocclusive crisis of sickle cell disease. I. Effect of pentoxifylline.

A method was developed to induce and continuously monitor vasoocclusive crisis of sickle cell disease in non-human primates. Pentoxifylline, a phosphodiesterase inhibitory agent, showed significant preventive effect. This may be based on its ability to increase intracellular cAMP levels and consequently to decrease platelet aggregation and to increase red cell deformability.