Psychological change associated with theophylline treatment of asthmatic children: a 6-month study.
Theophylline has been associated with a variety of behavioral side effects in asthmatic children. This study was a 6-month investigation of the relationship between theophylline treatment and psychological changes in 8 to 16 year old asthmatic children. Included were a group receiving theophylline (n = 19), a control group not receiving theophylline (n = 44), and a nonasthmatic control group (n = 24). The three groups had similar age, socioeconomic status, and IQ. The two groups of children with asthma demonstrated greater emotional dysfunction, characterized by tendency toward withdrawal and depression, than the nonasthmatic control group. Each of five assessment appointments (baseline and 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after beginning theophylline treatment) included measures of pulmonary function, attention, impulsivity, memory, fine motor control, activity level, self-reported mood, and parental observation of difficult behavior. Pulmonary functions were lower in the theophylline group at baseline but improved significantly after commencement of theophylline therapy. Over the 6-month interval, children in the theophylline group demonstrated improved scores on a laboratory measure of attention, while their parents reported increased conduct problems and hyperactivity. On the whole, psychological score changes were subtle, and no other between-group differences emerged in the remaining laboratory measures.
Bender
B G
BG
Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, CO 80206.
Lerner
J A
JA
Ikle
D
D
Comer
C
C
Szefler
S
S
D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013806:Theophylline / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D013806:Theophylline