Relationship between plasma and stimulated-saliva concentrations of theophylline in asthmatic children

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Pediatrics
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Theophylline is a common medication for managing asthma in children.
• Accurate therapeutic drug monitoring is crucial for optimizing theophylline efficacy and minimizing toxicity.
• Current monitoring methods often involve blood draws, which can be invasive and challenging in pediatric patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the trough steady-state concentration of theophylline in plasma and stimulated saliva of pediatric asthma patients.
• To assess the correlation between plasma and stimulated saliva theophylline levels.
• To evaluate the potential of stimulated saliva as a non-invasive alternative for routine theophylline monitoring.

Main Methods:

• 12 asthmatic children receiving slow-release oral theophylline were studied.
• Trough plasma and stimulated saliva samples were collected after 1 week of treatment.
• Theophylline concentrations were measured using validated analytical methods.

Main Results:

• Plasma theophylline concentrations ranged from 3.6 to 10.8 microgram/ml.
• Stimulated saliva theophylline concentrations ranged from 3.2 to 7.0 microgram/ml.
• An excellent linear relationship was observed between plasma and saliva theophylline levels (r=0.89, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Stimulated saliva provides a reliable measure of theophylline concentration.
• Routine monitoring of theophylline therapy in asthmatic children can be effectively performed using stimulated saliva.
• This non-invasive approach offers a convenient and painless alternative to blood sampling for therapeutic drug monitoring.