Relationship among dosages of aminophylline, plasma levels of theophylline and variation of pulmonary arterial pressure]

The relationship among the dosages of aminophylline, plasma levels of theophylline and variations of mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) in 72 patients with COPD was investigated. The results showed that after a different loading dosage of aminophylline (6 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg) was administered by intravenous injection, mPAP in the 6 mg/kg group was decreased more significantly (P less than 0.01) than that in the 4 mg/kg group. In the 6 mg/kg group, the decreased mPAP period sustained for 120 min, which was longer than that in the other 2 groups. The plasma levels of theophylline in the 6 mg/kg group of patients 30 to 120 min after loading dose injected were 115.54-79.04 mumol/L, which were higher than that in the others. Within the 120 min period of observation after the drug was administered no patients in any of these groups showed severe untoward effects. According to the results of this experiment, we suggest that the 6 mg/kg as a loading dose should be advised for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in COPD. The optimum time to give the maintenance dosage should be set within 2 h after the loading dose. It is necessary to monitor the plasma levels of theophylline while aminophylline is administered, so that optimal therapeutic effects could be achieved without side effects.