Effect of theophylline on airway inflammation in asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether low dose theophylline has an anti-inflammatory effect in asthma.


METHODS
Nineteen asthmatic subjects were given 200 mg sustained-release theophylline preparation twice daily for 4 weeks. The mean serum concentration of theophylline was 7.9 mg/L. The percentage of eosinophils, EG2+ eosinophils, and the level of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in sputum pre- and post-administration were detected by Wright's stain, immunocytochemistry, and immuno-CAP system, and the symptom scores and lung function were evaluated as well. The above indices for 10 healthy subjects were regarded as control.


RESULTS
Before using theophylline, sputum eosinophils, EG2+ eosinophils, and ECP in asthmatic group were much higher than those of healthy group. After four weeks administration, there were great decreases in percentage of total eosinophils (40 % +/- 17 % vs 29 % +/- 11 %, P < 0.01), activated (EG2+) eosinophils (28 % +/- 9 % vs 10 % +/- 8 %, P < 0.01) and in the concentration of sputum ECP [(373 +/- 206) vs (220 +/- 132) microg/L, P < 0.01]. The symptom scores decreased greatly (7.1 +/- 1.2 vs 5.4 +/- 1.6, P < 0.01). There was a marked increased in forced expiratory volume one second (FEV(1.0)) after administration (2.2 +/- 0.6 vs 2.4 +/- 0.5, P < 0.01). The FEV(1.0) % of asthmatic subjects after administration increased (60 % +/- 13 % vs 65 % +/- 13 %, P < 0.01), too.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicated that low dose theophylline had inhibitory action on airway inflammation in asthma with noticeable improvement of the patients' symptoms and lung function.
Yang
J
J
Wuhan University People's Hospital, Wuhan 430060, China.
Tu
H Y
HY
Li
Q Q
QQ
D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism; D013183:Sputum / Q000378:metabolism; D013806:Theophylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D013806:Theophylline; D012260:Ribonucleases