title: Reliability of salivary theophylline concentration monitoring in children with bronchial asthma following the administration of different drug formulations.
abstract: The applicability and reliability of the clinical usefulness of monitoring salivary theophylline concentrations as a predictive measure of serum concentrations was evaluated in a total of 59 children with asthma, divided in four groups. Three pharmacological preparations of oral theophylline (aqueous, alcoholic and slow release) were evaluated after single administration (groups 1-3); slow release theophylline was also tested in a steady state of metabolism in children under chronic therapy with the drug (group 4). Although a good correlation between theophylline concentrations in serum and saliva was observed in each group, the wide range of variability in serum levels predicted from salivary levels (20-60%) appears to limit the usefulness of this approach. The salivary measurements of theophylline may be useful as a general guide in management of patients, or in assessment of compliance.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D000431:Ethanol; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis*; D012996:Solutions; D013806:Theophylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; D013806:Theophylline