The examination of the effects of pentoxifylline in acute ischemic stroke by serial somatosensorial evoked potentials

Abstract

This study was performed in 54 patients with acute ischemic stroke in our clinic. Median SEPs were recorded with stimuli first from healthy, later from hemiplegic sides. 18 patients who had no differences between both sides related with latency of N20 wave. central conduction time and N20-P27 wave amplitudes, were excluded. In the remaining 36 patients, 100 mg. pentoxifylline (PTX) was injected intravenously after the first median SEP record. The records were repeated by stimulus of median nerve on hemiplegic side after 30, 60 and 90 minutes following PTX infusion. In 11 patients (%30) no cortical potentials were recorded neither before nor after PTX injection. In 10 patients (%28) whom no cortical responses were recorded before the injection,cortical responses were gained after 30 and 60 minutes following PTX infusion. In the remaining 15 patients (%42) who had some differences in median SEP parameters such as the latency of N20 wave,central conduction time and N20-P27 wave amplitude between two sides, significant improvement was observed after injection. These positive effects were observed to begin within 30 minute and be maximum at the 60th minute. The recovery in cerebral bioelectrical activity may be due to the effects of PTX on cerebral oxygen consumption and hemorrheologia together with its anti-oxidant, anti-edema and vasodilatator effects. The results suggest that PTX may be a useful agent in the therapy of acute ischemic stroke.