Aminophylline blood levels with concomitant erythromycin therapy in relapsed chronic obstructive lung disease

Sixty patients affected by chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) in relapse were treated with erythromycin and aminophylline. The patients were divided into three groups: Group A received 2 g erythromycin and 1200 mg aminophylline daily, and Group B and C received 2 g erythromycin with respectively 800 mg and 600 mg of aminophylline daily, administered as two oral doses in each case. On day 5 of therapy, we chromatographically evaluated aminophylline in a serum sample taken two hours after morning drug administration which corresponds to the peak plasma level. We also evaluated certain biohumoral, microbiological, radiological and electrocardiographic parameters both before and after therapy. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by the Student's t test. Our data confirm that 600-800 mg oral aminophylline administered simultaneously with erythromycin induce an improvement in the respiratory function of patients with relapsed COLD without elevating blood aminophylline levels and without side-effects.