1 Arkansas Allergy Clinic, P.A., P.O. Box 7008, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
The report of a double blind trial of aminophylline in status asthmaticus by Pierson, et al. seems indeed to have shown that significant improvement in ventilatory function resulted without serious side effects.
Aminophylline toxicity is a very real and potentially serious complication of the treatment of status asthmaticus. There is a wide variation in the recommended children's dose of aminophylline. Since this study showed apparent good improvement in ventilatory function (when used with other accepted medications in appropriate doses) and serious side effects were avoided, it would be of interest to know the dose of aminophylline required in these patients.