A comparison of metaproterenol and theophylline for control of childhood asthma

Abstract

Twenty asthmatic children who had daily wheezing requiring constant medication as outpatients were given oral metaproterenol or oral theophylline in a randomized double-blind crossover study. Each medication was given for four weeks, after the theophylline dosage necessary to give a therapeutic level was established. Pulmonary function parameters, daily peak-flow measurements and diary symptom scores were statistically comparable in most patients during these four-week intervals. Metaproterenol may be used in place of oral theophylline for at least a four-week interval with no decrease in effectiveness.