Randomised controlled trial of aminophylline for severe acute asthma

OBJECTIVES To determine whether children with severe acute asthma treated with large doses of inhaled salbutamol, inhaled ipratropium, and intravenous steroids are conferred any further benefits by the addition of aminophylline given intravenously. STUDY DESIGN Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial of 163 children admitted to hospital with asthma who were unresponsive to nebulised salbutamol. RESULTS The placebo and treatment groups of children were similar at baseline. The 48 children in the aminophylline group had a greater improvement in spirometry at six hours and a higher oxygen saturation in the first 30 hours. Five subjects in the placebo group were intubated and ventilated after enrolment compared with none in the aminophylline group. CONCLUSIONS Aminophylline continues to have a place in the management of severe acute asthma in children unresponsive to initial treatment.

[1]  H. Levison,et al.  Efficacy of frequent nebulized ipratropium bromide added to frequent high-dose albuterol therapy in severe childhood asthma. , 1995, The Journal of pediatrics.

[2]  J. Gladstein,et al.  Theophylline does not shorten hospital stay for children admitted for asthma. , 1995, Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine.

[3]  C. Rodrigo,et al.  Treatment of acute asthma. Lack of therapeutic benefit and increase of the toxicity from aminophylline given in addition to high doses of salbutamol delivered by metered-dose inhaler with a spacer. , 1994, Chest.

[4]  K. Yusoff,et al.  Effect of adding aminophylline infusion to nebulised salbutamol in severe acute asthma. , 1994, Thorax.

[5]  V. Bonagura,et al.  Aminophylline therapy does not improve outcome and increases adverse effects in children hospitalized with acute asthmatic exacerbations. , 1994, Pediatrics.

[6]  L. Hendeles,et al.  Does Aminophylline Benefit Adults Admitted to the Hospital for an Acute Exacerbation of Asthma? , 1993, Annals of Internal Medicine.

[7]  M. McDermott,et al.  Aminophylline in the treatment of acute asthma when beta 2-adrenergics and steroids are provided. , 1993, Archives of internal medicine.

[8]  H. Teichtahl,et al.  Intravenous aminophylline confers no benefit in acute asthma treated with intravenous steroids and inhaled bronchodilators. , 1993, Australian and New Zealand journal of medicine.

[9]  S. Krug,et al.  Hospital treatment of asthma: lack of benefit from theophylline given in addition to nebulized albuterol and intravenously administered corticosteroid. , 1993, The Journal of pediatrics.

[10]  E. Carter,et al.  Efficacy of intravenously administered theophylline in children hospitalized with severe asthma. , 1993, The Journal of pediatrics.

[11]  M. Depolo.  Aminophylline therapy for acute bronchospastic disease in the emergency room , 1992 .

[12]  J. Carlin,et al.  Evaluation of the properties and reliability of a clinical severity scale for acute asthma in children. , 1992, Journal of clinical epidemiology.

[13]  C. Slovis,et al.  Aminophylline therapy for acute bronchospastic disease in the emergency room. , 1991, Annals of internal medicine.

[14]  D. Bohn,et al.  Efficacy, results, and complications of mechanical ventilation in children with status asthmaticus , 1991, Pediatric pulmonology.

[15]  R. Ellis,et al.  Inhaled albuterol and oral prednisone therapy in hospitalized adult asthmatics. Does aminophylline add any benefit? , 1990, Chest.

[16]  G. Dallal.  PC-SIZE: Consultant-A Program for Sample-Size Determinations , 1990 .

[17]  W. Lenney,et al.  EFFECT OF A SINGLE ORAL DOSE OF PREDNISOLONE IN ACUTE CHILDHOOD ASTHMA , 1987, The Lancet.

[18]  Gerard E. Dallal,et al.  PC-SIZE: A Program for Sample-Size Determinations , 1986 .

[19]  A. Gelb,et al.  Aminophylline increases the toxicity but not the efficacy of an inhaled beta-adrenergic agonist in the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma. , 1985, The American review of respiratory disease.

[20]  M. Lebowitz,et al.  Changes in the normal maximal expiratory flow-volume curve with growth and aging. , 1983, The American review of respiratory disease.

[21]  E. R. Mcfadden,et al.  Emergency room of treatment of asthma. Relationships among therapeutic combinations, severity of obstruction and time course of response. , 1982, The American journal of medicine.

[22]  E. R. Mcfadden,et al.  A controlled trial of the use of single versus combined-drug therapy in the treatment of acute episodes of asthma. , 1981, The American review of respiratory disease.

[23]  E. Mackenzie,et al.  Emergency treatment of asthma. A comparison of two treatment regimens. , 1979, JAMA.

[24]  W. Pierson,et al.  Double-blind trial of aminophylline in status asthmaticus. , 1971, Pediatrics.

[25]  C. Stuart-harris,et al.  LABORATORY AND CLINICAL TRIALS OF PATULIN , 1944 .