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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-11-30
pubmed:abstractText
Theophylline has been used as a bronchodilator in acute and chronic asthma management, although there is accumulating evidence that it may have anti-inflammatory effects. We have investigated the effect of theophylline withdrawal for 6 weeks in asthmatic subjects whose peak expiratory flow (PEF) readings were more than 80% of the predicted value and its variability was less than 20% (Green Zone) by treatment with both a moderate dose of inhaled corticosteroids (BDP), 400-800 microg/day) and low dose theophylline (400 mg/day) for more than 3 months. In 38 asthmatic subjects, changes in clinical symptoms, respiratory function and airway inflammation detected with hypertonic saline induced sputum, and airway reactivity to histamine were investigated. One half of the patients were randomly withdrawn from theophylline, while the other half continued to take the same dose of theophylline for a period of 6 weeks. Mean steady state plasma theophylline concentrations when receiving treatment with theophylline were 8.08 microg/mL in the theophylline withdrawal group and 7.64 microg/mL in the control theophylline group, respectively. Although a significant increase in asthma symptoms emerged in the theophylline group, there were no significant changes in the theophylline administration group. In the theophylline withdrawal group, there were small but significant falls in PEF in the morning, FEV1 and V50 at the end of the study period. Analysis of induced sputum showed that there was also a significant increase in the percentage of total and activated (EG2+) eosinophils only in those patients who withdrew from theophylline. These results indicate that chronic treatment with low dose theophylline exerts an anti-inflammatory effect and that the additional use of theophylline with inhaled corticosteroids provides an effective treatment for moderate asthma. Taken together, we conclude that theophylline has long-term beneficial effects on the chronic asthma management.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Aug
pubmed:issn
0954-7894
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
28 Suppl 3
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
57-63
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Administration, Oral, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Aged, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Anti-Inflammatory Agents, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Asthma, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Bronchial Provocation Tests, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Eosinophils, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Female, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Immunohistochemistry, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Leukocyte Count, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Longitudinal Studies, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Male, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Middle Aged, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Respiratory Function Tests, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Sputum, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Theophylline, pubmed-meshheading:9756188-Time Factors
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Effect of theophylline withdrawal on airway inflammation in asthma.
pubmed:affiliation
First Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Randomized Controlled Trial