Can aminophylline reduce the need for oral corticosteroids?

Fifteen patients with long-standing chronic obstructive airways disease, who had received oral prednisolone for at least one year with objective and subjective response were included in the study. Attempts to reduce or withdraw steroids had been made unsuccessfully on at least two occasions in all cases. Phyllocontin Continus tablets were given at a dose of 225 mg in the morning and 450 mg at night for a 33-week period. One patient was withdrawn after 8 weeks due to side-effects. Four patients had their oral prednisolone withdrawn entirely and a further seven had a beneficial reduction without adverse effect on FEV1 or VC. The average reduction in daily dosage of steroids was from 10 mg to 4.97 mg (p less than 0.001) with an associated rise in mean FEV1 of 1.69 to 1.92 litres.