Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
05:40
Dural Stimulation and Periorbital von Frey Testing in Mice As a Preclinical Model of Headache
Published on: July 29, 2021
Intravenous theophylline decreases post-dural puncture headaches
Ufuk Ergün1, Bahar Say, Gokhan Ozer
1Department of Neurology, Ministry of Health, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Nilgün Sok. 4/3, Farabi, Cankaya, 06550 Ankara, Turkey. ufukergun@yahoo.com
Summary
Intravenous theophylline effectively treats post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), significantly reducing pain compared to placebo. This minimally invasive treatment offers rapid relief for PDPH patients before considering invasive options.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a frequent complication following lumbar puncture.
- Invasive treatments for PDPH carry risks, making pharmacologic management a preferred alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous theophylline in treating PDPH.
- To compare the pain-relieving effects of intravenous theophylline against a placebo.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving patients with PDPH.
- Administration of intravenous theophylline infusion to the study group and a placebo to the control group.
- Assessment of pain severity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and after treatment.
Main Results:
- Intravenous theophylline significantly reduced PDPH pain (p < 0.001), with a mean VAS decrease of 4.17.
- The theophylline group experienced an average of 59.1% pain relief.
- The control group showed no significant improvement in VAS scores (p = 0.15).
Conclusions:
- Intravenous theophylline is an effective, rapid, and minimally invasive treatment for PDPH.
- Theophylline may be a viable option for PDPH management before resorting to invasive procedures.
- This study is the first to report on the efficacy of intravenous theophylline infusion versus placebo for PDPH.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
01:29Drug Delivery: Parenteral Route
The parenteral route is a critical method of drug administration. It delivers compounds directly into the systemic circulation and bypasses the gastrointestinal tract. This approach is particularly advantageous for drugs that exhibit poor absorption or instability when administered orally.
There are three primary parenteral routes: intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SC). The IV route introduces the drug directly into the bloodstream, ensuring immediate action. The IM route...
There are three primary parenteral routes: intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SC). The IV route introduces the drug directly into the bloodstream, ensuring immediate action. The IM route...
01:28IV Infusion to Oral Dosing: Conversion Methods
The development of extended-release formulations has facilitated the transition from intravenous to oral medication, offering a more convenient and patient-friendly approach to drug administration. This transition, however, requires careful management to ensure that therapeutic drug levels are maintained, preserving efficacy and avoiding adverse effects. Understanding pharmacokinetic principles and dosage calculations is critical during this process.Pharmacokinetics of the...
01:29Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
01:19Depolarizing Blockers: Pharmocokinetics
Depolarizing blockers are administered through intravenous injection. Succinylcholine is the most common choice of depolarizing blockers in emergency clinical practices. Although they have a rapid onset, they readily diffuse away from the motor end plate into the extracellular fluid. They are metabolized by enzymes such as liver butyrylcholinesterase and plasma pseudocholinesterases. This produces a short duration of action, typically 5-10 minutes long, unlike nondepolarizing blockers, which...
01:29Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Venous thrombosis requires effective prevention and treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce potential complications.Prevention StrategiesHealthcare providers must prioritize preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) for all adult patients upon admission. Interventions depend on bleeding and thrombosis risk, medical history, current medications, diagnoses, planned procedures, and patient preferences. Patients on bed rest should change positions every two hours and, if not...