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[Serum theophylline levels in aminophyllin treatment in children]
Insights
Long-term childhood asthma treatment with theophylline (Aminophyllin) requires age-specific dosing. Smaller children need higher doses to reach therapeutic theophylline serum levels safely.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Pediatrics
- Respiratory Medicine
Context:
- Childhood asthma management necessitates precise medication dosing for optimal therapeutic outcomes.
- Theophylline and its ethylenediamine salt (Aminophyllin) are commonly used for long-term asthma control.
- Individualized dosing is crucial due to pharmacokinetic variations across age groups.
Purpose:
- To establish age-specific dosage guidelines for theophylline (Aminophyllin) in children and adults for long-term asthma treatment.
- To correlate Aminophyllin dosage with serum theophylline levels to ensure therapeutic efficacy and safety.
- To define the therapeutic range of serum theophylline concentrations for effective asthma management.
Summary:
- Theophylline (Aminophyllin) dosage for childhood asthma varies by age, with smaller children requiring higher doses per kilogram than older children or adults to achieve therapeutic serum levels (7-15 mg/l).
- Recommended t.i.d. doses are 6 mg/kg for ages 1-4, 5.5 mg/kg for ages 5-12, and 3-3.5 mg/kg for adults over 50.
- Initial doses should be higher, and regular monitoring of serum theophylline levels is essential for safe long-term treatment.
Impact:
- Provides evidence-based dosing recommendations to optimize theophylline therapy in pediatric and adult asthma patients.
- Enhances patient safety by reducing the risk of subtherapeutic or toxic theophylline levels.
- Contributes to improved asthma control and quality of life for individuals on long-term theophylline treatment.
Abstract:
Long-term treatment of childhood asthma with theophylline or theophylline ethylenediamine (Aminophyllin) preparations requires dosage according to the various age groups. In order to achieve therapeutically satisfactory concentrations, estimations of theophylline levels in serum showed that in cases of good correlation between Aminophyllin dosage and theophylline levels smaller children required higher Aminophyllin doses than big children or adults. The therapeutic range of theophylline is around 7 to 15 mg/l beyond the newborn age. In order to obtain these concentrations children from the 1st to the 4th year require Aminophyllin doses of 6 mg/kg t.i.d., children between 5 and 12 years 5.5 mg/kg t.i.d. and adults beyond the 50th year of life 3 to 3.5 mg/kg t.i.d. Generally the first dose should be higher and is 6-7 mg/kg or 6-6.5 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg, respectively. Regular estimations of serum theophylline levels greatly help to improve safety of long-term treatment.