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Effect of low‐dose theophylline on airway inflammation in COPD
Author(s) -
KOBAYASHI Motoko,
NASUHARA Yasuyuki,
BETSUYAKU Tomoko,
SHIBUYA Eiji,
TANINO Yoshinori,
TANINO Mishie,
TAKAMURA Kei,
NAGAI Katsura,
HOSOKAWA Takeshi,
NISHIMURA Masaharu
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2004.00573.x
Subject(s) - theophylline , medicine , neutrophil elastase , copd , sputum , placebo , leukotriene b4 , myeloperoxidase , inflammation , asthma , gastroenterology , eosinophil cationic protein , immunology , anesthesia , pharmacology , pathology , eosinophil , tuberculosis , alternative medicine
Objective: Recent studies have shown that theophylline may exert anti‐inflammatory effects on neutrophils. We undertook to assess the effect of theophylline on airway inflammation in COPD. Methodology: We performed a 4‐week randomized double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study in 11 theophylline‐naive patients with mild to moderate COPD. After a 1‐week run‐in period, six subjects were administered 400 mg/day theophylline (Theodur; Nikken Chemicals Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) for 4 weeks, while five subjects were administered a placebo. Induced sputum was obtained before and after the run‐in period and then after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment. Cell differential count and levels of interleukin‐8, matrix metalloproteinase‐9, neutrophil elastase (NE), myeloperoxidase (MPO), α 1 ‐antitrypsin (α 1 ‐AT), leukotriene B 4 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases‐1 (TIMP‐1) were assessed. Results: No variable was significantly different during the run‐in period or with placebo treatment. In contrast, theophylline treatment significantly decreased NE and MPO levels at 4 weeks, although the cell differential count did not change appreciably as a result of treatment. Conclusion: These results suggest that 4 weeks of theophylline treatment attenuates neutrophil‐associated inflammation in the airways of mild to moderate COPD patients. However, the clinical benefits remain to be determined.