Objective: To evaluate the effects of theophylline given by twice-daily and once-daily on 24 hour lung function and sleep in severe COPD.
Method: Ten patients were assessed. Before theophylline given, the baseline measurements on lung function and polysomnography were performed, and baseline scores of symptoms and sleep quality were investigated. And then, with double-blind crossover in design, twice-daily theophylline doseing (TD) or once-daily theophylline dosing (OD) was given in a randomly assigned sequence, and serum theophylline concentration (STC) was measured, and other physiological testings were similar as baseline measurements.
Result: The peak STC occured at 4 am after administration at 8 pm, and that occured at 12 am after administration at 8 am, and the trough STC occured at 8 pm in both treatment. STC of OD was higher than that of TD at 4 am, but TD was higher than OD at 4 pm (P < 0.05). There was a similar but significant improvement of the lung function after theophylline given for TD or OD (P = 0.0001). Symptoms improved in both groups, but OD was better (P = 0.0023). The sleep stages and quality variation were not significant.
Conclusion: There was higher STC in early morning in both treatment. The improvement of lung function may well be obtained at lower STC. There were not significant effect on sleep.