Comparison of oral enprofylline and theophylline in asthmatic patients.

The bronchodilator effect and side-effects of a single oral dose of enprofylline were compared with the corresponding actions of a therapeutic dose of theophylline in 20 asthmatic patients, in a randomized cross-over clinical trial. Enprofylline 4 mg/kg and theophylline 8 mg/kg produced mean maximum plasma levels of 4.40 +/- 0.91 micrograms/ml and 16.5 +/- 2.58 micrograms/ml and mean maximum increases in FEV1.0 of 38.5% and 34.8%, respectively. The degree of headache and nausea was estimated by a scoring system. Enprofylline produced significantly higher scores for headache than theophylline, and both drugs produced s light nausea. No other side-effects were seen. Enprofylline seems to have bronchodilating properties comparable to those of theophylline without producing severe side-effects.