Sprinkle Theophylline for Asthma Control in Children /

Sprinkle and ayrup producta are comparable but aide effecta are greater with the former In a 3-month open study, 61 children (mean age 3 years) with chronic asthma, who required continuous

bronchodilator therapy, randomly received theophylline syrup ('Nuelin') 5 mg/kg qid (n = 29) or controlled­release theophylline sprinkle ('Theo-Dur Sprinkle') 10 mg/kg bid (n = 32). Additional medications (including sodium cromoglycate [cromolyn sodium] and inhaled ~-agonists) were continued throughout.

Seven children (22%) from the sprinkle and 8 (28%) from the syrup group did not complete the study because of the side effects. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in compliance, night and day wheeze and cough, or exercise tolerance but the sprinkle-treated group used nebulised ~-agonists significantly more often than syrup recipients.

Overall, side effects (mostly irritability, sleep disturbance, nausea or vomiting) were experienced by 12 patients (37.5%) and 4 patients (13.8%) in the sprinkle and syrup groups, respectively (p < 0.015).

The author concluded that ' .•• the twice-daily regimen of theophylline sprinkle can control total asthma symptoms as well as a 4-dosage liquid regimen'. Dawson KP Pharmatherapeu/ica 4. 442·444. Oct 1985

10 INPHARMA® 12 Apr 1986 0156-2703/86/1005.()()10/0S01.00/0 © ADIS Press