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Theophylline compounds and myasthenia gravis; II. Clinical report of nine cases
Author(s) -
Brumlik Joel,
Jacobs Robert,
Karczmar Alexander G.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt1973143380
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , theophylline , medicine , anesthesia , refractory (planetary science) , weakness , neostigmine , surgery , biology , astrobiology
The clinical effects of oxtriphylline (Choledyl), a choline salt of theophylline, was investigated in 9 patients with myasthenia gravis. Five of the patients with severe generalized myasthenia were clinically refractory to anticholinesterase medication. In these patients, oxtriphylline (1) increased the level of strength when used alone, (2) potentiated the effects of the anticholinesterases in sorne patients for a variable period of time, (3) tended to prevent corticotropin‐induced weakness when used with the latter, and, when both were used tagether (4) accelerated and intensified the beneficial effect of corticotropin. When used alone, oxtriphylline only partially alleviated the symptoms of myasthenia gravis. It had little effect in patients with mild symptoms and in those who responded reasonably well to anticholinesterase medication.