Behavioral and cognitive effect of theophylline: a dose-response study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Child Psychology
• Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

• Theophylline is a common medication for asthma management in children.
• Understanding the behavioral and cognitive side effects of theophylline is crucial for optimizing treatment.
• Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding theophylline's impact on behavior and cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the behavioral and cognitive effects of theophylline in asymptomatic asthmatic children.
• To determine if dosage or administration order influences these effects.
• To identify the typical timeline for theophylline-associated behavioral changes.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, crossover study design was employed.
• Fourteen asymptomatic asthmatic children participated.
• Two dosage levels of theophylline were administered and assessed using Conners parent ratings and cognitive tests.

Main Results:

• Parental ratings indicated behavioral improvement by the second week of theophylline treatment.
• These behavioral improvements were observed irrespective of the dosage level or the order of drug administration.
• No significant effects of theophylline were detected on cognitive measures in the studied children.

Conclusions:

• The majority of behavioral problems linked to theophylline occur during the initial treatment phase (induction).
• For most children, behavioral and attention issues associated with theophylline return to baseline or improve rapidly.
• Theophylline appears to be generally well-tolerated behaviorally and cognitively in asymptomatic asthmatic children after the induction phase.