[Serum pyridoxal concentration in children during theophylline therapy for bronchial asthma].
This study was designed to investigate the effect of sustained-release theophylline therapy on serum pyridoxal concentration in children with bronchial asthma. Forty-two children with bronchial asthma were divided into two groups according to duration of theophylline administration: The 22 children in group A had been treated with theophylline for less than 4 weeks, whereas the 20 children in group B had been treated for more than 5 weeks. The results obtained from this study were as follows: 1) The serum pyridoxal concentration in group B was significantly lower than that those in group A (p < 0.01). 2) The serum pyridoxal concentration was not significantly correlated with the serum theophylline concentration. These findings suggest that long-term theophylline therapy can depress vitamin B6 status in children with bronchial asthma. Theophylline-induced seizure may be caused by the possible decreased in gamma-aminobutyric acid concentration in the brain as a result of decrease in gamma-aminobutyric acid concentration in the brain as a result of decrease in vitamin B6 status, even if the serum theophylline concentrations are within the therapeutic range.
Tanaka
I
I
Department of Pediatrics, Kawasaki Medical School.
Hiraga
Y
Y
Inaba
J
J
Fujino
M
M
Kobayashi
K
K
D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011730:Pyridoxal / Q000097:blood*; D013806:Theophylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011730:Pyridoxal; D013806:Theophylline