Controlled release salbutamol tablets versus sustained release theophylline tablets in the control of reversible...

A crossover pilot study was undertaken to compare the acceptability of controlled release salbutamol tablets (8 mg twice daily) with a sustained release theophylline preparation (400-800 mg given once each night) in patients with reversible obstructive airways disease. A 2-week run-in period was used to titrate the theophylline dosage. Patients were then allocated at random to one of the treatments before being immediately crossed over to the other for a further 4 weeks. Thirty-two patients, aged 17-66 years, entered the trial. Seventeen patients (53%) were withdrawn. The majority of the 13 withdrawals due to side-effects of theophylline occurred during the run-in period. There were no statistically significant differences between treatments for either lung function tests performed at the clinic or for peak expiratory flow rate recorded by the patients. The non-asthma symptom score was significantly higher with theophylline than with the salbutamol preparation. A preference for treatment with the controlled release salbutamol tablets was expressed by 11/15 patients.