title: The Effect of Omeprazole on Serum Concentrations of Theophylline, Pepsinogens A and C, and Gastrin in Elderly Duodenal Ulcer Patients.
abstract: With the aim of verifying the effect of omeprazole treatment on theophyline serum concentration in elderly peptic ulcer patients, we studied 10 male subjects aged >65 years (mean age = 75.2, range = 67--86) with chronic obstructive bronchopneumonia and endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer in acute phase. All subjects were treated with a slow-release formulation of theophylline 200 mg b.i.d. plus omeprazole 20 mg daily for 4 weeks. In all subjects serum concentrations of azote, creatinine, theophylline were determined at the beginning and after 1 and 4 weeks; at the beginning and end of the study, pepsinogen group A (PGA), pepsinogen group C(PGC) and gastrin were measured. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student's t-test for paired data. The results showed no statistically significant differences after 1 and 4 weeks of omeprazole treatment in serum concentrations of theophylline (T(0) = 7.4, T(1 week) = 7.5, T(4 weeks) = 6.0, p = ns), azote (T(0) = 45.2, T(1 week) = 30.5, T(4 weeks) = 36.1, p = ns), creatinine (T(0) = 1.27, T(1 week) = 1.02, T(4 weeks) = 1.16, p = ns), PGA (T(0) = 99.5, T(4 weeks) = 126.2, p = ns), and PGC (T(0) = 10.6, T(4 weeks) = 12.1, p = ns); however serum gastrin increased from T(0) = 70.2 plus minus 13.2 to T(4 weeks) = 130.3 plus minus 18.3 (p < 0.0001). It was concluded that (1) serum concentration of theophylline is not affected by the concomitant omeprazole treatment lasting 1 month in elderly patients suffering from chronic obstructive bronchopneumonia and peptic ulcer, (2) modifications of dosages of theophylline and/or omeprazole are not necessary in the elderly with normal renal function, (3) the increase in fasting serum gastrin after 4 weeks of treatment may indicate that omeprazole 20 mg daily is efficacious in inhibiting gastric acid secretion in the elderly people.
authors.affiliation: Geriatrics Department, "San Bortolo" General Hospital, Vicenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.forename: Marilisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Mirka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lagni
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fabrello
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meggiato
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soffiati
authors.forename: Gigliola
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oliani
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Mario