[Successful treatment with continuous intravenous theophylline therapy at home for a patient with problems of oral theophylline absorption].

A 56-year-old male with non-atopic bronchial asthma was admitted to our hospital due to status asthmaticus. His asthma attacks could not be controlled by oral and/or inhalation therapy, but only by intravenous theophylline therapy with corticosteroid. A theophylline absorption test was performed on him after over night fasting. 500 mg of theophylline was administered. The maximum serum theophylline concentration was only 4.0 micrograms/ml at 30 minutes and the urinary one was 13.0 micrograms/ml at 360 minutes after starting the test. The threshold level of absorption from the intestinal tract was higher than the usual level in this patient. We conclude that among patients with intractable bronchial asthma there may be some who have problems with orally administered theophylline. Continuous theophylline therapy at home is recommended for such intractable asthmatics.