Conclusions
The full cellular, pre-clinical and clinical profile of pentoxifylline
suggests that pentoxifylline could be effective in reducing the severity
of lung injury in patients with COVID-19. These actions could reduce the
need for critical care interventions and reduce the burden and mortality
of COVID-19 in selected individuals.
If the theoretical and rheological therapeutic benefit of pentoxifylline
for COVID-19 is clinically demonstrable, it may prove to be an
inexpensive, and readily available, treatment strategy to target harmful
cytokine excess in this disease.
We advocate urgent randomised trials of pentoxifylline for patients
infected with SARS CoV-2.