Aminophylline in the Emergency Department

Letters1 December 1991Aminophylline in the Emergency DepartmentMark D. Siegel, MDMark D. Siegel, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-115-11-910 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors: Wrenn and colleagues (1) are to be congratulated for their important contribution to the emergency management of bronchospasm. Further study of aminophylline's clinical action, however, is necessary before changing emergency-room practice. How aminophylline prevents admissions is mysterious, because the drug decreases neither the severity of bronchospasm nor its symptoms (2). Subdividing exacerbations into "infectious, inflammatory, or allergic" categories, as the authors suggest, might identify predictors of admission and help explain the drug's mechanism.The authors should consider measuring pulmonary function through the patient's emergency-room stay. Although improvement appears to level off after 2 hours, substantial airway obstruction...References1. WrennSlovisMurphyGreenberg KCFR. Aminophylline therapy for acute bronchospastic disease in the emergency room. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:241-7. LinkGoogle Scholar2. McFadden E. Methylxanthines in the treatment of asthma: the rise, the fall, and the possible rise again. Ann Intern Med. 1991 ;115: 323-4. LinkGoogle Scholar1. WrennSlovisMurphyGreenberg KCFR. Aminophylline therapy for acute bronchospastic disease in the emergency room. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:241-7. LinkGoogle Scholar2. SiegelSheppardGalbWeinberg DDAP. Aminophylline increases the toxicity but not the efficiency of an inhaled beta-adrenergic agonist in the treatment of acute exacerbation of asthma. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1985;132:283-6. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. McFadden E. Methylxanthines in the treatment of asthma: The rise, the falls, and the possible rise again. Ann Intern Med. 1991; 115:323-4. LinkGoogle Scholar1. WrennSlovisMurphyGreenberg KCFR. Aminophylline therapy for acute bronchospastic disease in the emergency room. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:241-7. LinkGoogle Scholar2. LittenbergGluck BE. A controlled trial of methylprednisolone in the emergency treatment of acute asthma. N Engl J Med. 1986;314: 150-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. CupplesHeerenSchatzkinColton LTAT. Multiple testing of hypotheses in comparing two groups. Ann Intern Med. 1984; 100: 122-9. LinkGoogle Scholar1. WrennSlovisMurphyGreenberg KCFR. Aminophylline therapy for acute bronchospastic disease in the emergency room. Ann Intern Med. 1991;115:241-7. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Littenberg B. Aminophylline treatment in severe, acute asthma: A meta-analysis. JAMA. 1988;259:1678-84. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. LittenbergGluck BE. A controlled trial of methylprednisolone in the emergency treatment of acute asthma. N Engl J Med. 1986;314: 150-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. . How to read clinical journals: III. To learn the clinical course and prognosis of disease. Can Med Assoc J. 1981;124:869-72. MedlineGoogle Scholar1. LittenbergGluck BE. A controlled trial of methylprednisolone in the emergency treatment of acute asthma. N Engl J Med. 1986;314: 150-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Mark D. Siegel, MDAffiliations: Pennsylvania Hospital Philadelphia, PA 19107 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byBeta-Agonists in the Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 1 December 1991Volume 115, Issue 11Page: 910-911KeywordsDrugsEmergency departmentPulmonary function ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 December 1991 PDF downloadLoading ...