title: Management of chronic airway obstruction: theophylline--is it still necessary?
abstract: Theophylline is a second-line drug for the symptomatic treatment of obstructive pulmonary diseases. It appears to be of particular value in the treatment of the more severe cases of airway obstruction. The likelihood of a therapeutic benefit and the safety of drug therapy can be increased markedly by an individually optimized theophylline therapy, that is, individual dosage and time of dosing, and monitoring the serum concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumonology, Universitätsklinik, Homburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ukena
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Sybrecht
mesh_terms: D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy; D013806:Theophylline / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013806:Theophylline