Personality traits and theophylline metabolism.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between personality trait variables and theophylline disposition in asthmatic patients. Twenty-five patients admitted to a hospital who required intravenous theophylline for bronchodilation were studied. Data on theophylline half-life, and the patients' histories on congestive heart failure, liver disease, and smoking behaviour were abstracted. Eysenck's personality inventory was administered to obtain a score on the two personality traits: neuroticism and extraversion. High neurotic patients showed a significantly (p less than 0.005) lower theophylline half-life. Neuroticism appeared to be, in this patient population, a more important determinant of theophylline half-life than variables such as congestive heart failure, liver disease, or smoking behaviour.