[Sustained-release theophylline: study in a child population].

The study was done in 37 children. Their age ranged between 2 and 12 years, and their body weight between 12 and 36 kg. All had a diagnosis of bronchial asthma with practically permanent symptoms. All received a controlled treatment with sustained-release theophylline (SRT). All the patients began with a dose of about 15 mg/kg/day. Two groups without significant differences in age or weight, were made. The average doses given to the first group were 16.73 +/- 1.56, that were well tolerated, being the theophylline blood levels, five hours after dosing 14.79 +/- 2.34. In the second group (n = 22) due to different causes the SRT dose had to be reduced, averaging 11.98 +/- 1.48 and the theophylline blood levels 12.5 +/- 5.04. The clinical results were evaluated by a quantitative method in both groups. The theophyllinemia curves grouped in 6 patients showed the following values: 13.98 +/- 2.95 after 3 hours, 14.5 +/- 1.95 after 5 hours and 9.5 +/- 3.31 after 12 hours. The average theophylline concentrations in the saliva were 10.53 +/- 2.5 (3 hours); 9.81 +/- 1.80 (5 hours) and 6.01 +/- 1.92 (12 hours). The clinical results were good in the 37 children, even with suboptimal theophyllinemia values. The authors conclude by recommending an initial SRT pattern of 12-14 mg/kg/day for children weighting between 12 and 24 kg and of 11-12 mg/kg/day for weights between 25 and 35 kg. With these doses, theophylline levels over 10 mcg/ml in 24 hours are guaranteed in most patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)