Abstract
800 mg of pentoxifylline 400 was administred daily to two groups of elderly patients (average age 80 years) with the aim of increasing cerebral efficiency. Fifty patients (Group I) were treated for 30 days and of these, 25 patients (Group II) were treated for a further, 60 days.
The programme included a battery of psychometric tests (Rey's R.P.M. Recit of Barbizet, coupled image tests, immediat memory test) two geriatric scales (Geriatric Rating Scale and Nosie 30) and study of the deformability of red cells.
Results at the 30th and 90th day were compared with pre-experimental results: corrected filterability was increased (Group I and II, P < 0.05), memory tests showed significant improvement (Group I and II, P< 0.005), geriatric rating scale showed no modification. There was no correlation between changes in corrected filterability and improvement in psychometric tests.