Intravenous aminophylline therapy for asthma. A comparison of two methods of administration in children.

Eleven asthmatic children were given intravenous aminophylline by two methods of administration: a 6 mg/kg loading dose followed by a 1.4 mg/kg/hr continuous infusion, or a bolus of 4 mg/kg given every four hours. Expiratory flow rates (forced expiratory volume at 1 s and expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity) were recorded at intervals for 24 hours with each regimen. Although the intermittent administration of aminophylline produced a substantial improvement, there was a significantly greater pulmonary response to continuous infusion.