Pharmacological influences of pentoxifylline on red cell filterability and 2-3 diphosphoglycerate.

The diabetic's impairment of the red cell filterability is all the more important if the diabetic subject is suffering from an acute and progressive lower limb arteriopathy. Red cell 2-3 diphosphoglycerate (2-3 DPG) increases when red cell filterability decreases among these patients. Pentoxifylline (i.v. 600 mg per day) produces a rapid initial improvement of red cell filterability and then increases red cell 2-3 DPG level.