Monitoring of theophylline treatment by saliva and plasma concentrations.
The interdependence of serum and saliva theophylline concentrations was studied in a group of 79 children. Our results indicate that the measurement of saliva theophylline concentration, when the excretion of saliva is not stimulated, is reliable. The saliva theophylline concentration should be multiplied with the factor 1.6 to give an estimated serum concentration. Our results indicate that the use of saliva theophylline determination is comparable with the determination of serum concentration. The collection of saliva sample is painless compared with drawing a blood sample and the method is recommended, especially in pediatric use. The use of a slow-release theophylline preparation (Theo-Dur) was studied and compared with the use of ordinary theophylline in a group of asthmatic children. It was shown that the use of slow-release theophylline preparation (Theo-Dur) in a dose of 16-18 mg/kg/day divided in two daily doses gave a stable and safe serum concentration compared with ordinary theophylline in doses about 18-21 mg/kg/day divided in three doses.
Juntunen-Backman
K
K
Allergy Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Backman
A
A
Björkstén
F
F
Finnilä
M J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis*; D013696:Temperature; D013806:Theophylline / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D013806:Theophylline