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This double-blind crossover trial evaluated the prolonged clinical effect of procaterol inhaled in a dose of 10 micrograms by nine asthmatic children with mild and stable respiratory disturbance. To compare procaterol with the placebo administered with a pressurized metered-dose inhaler 48 hr before or after procaterol, FVC, FEV1, V50, and V25 were followed up for 10 hr. FVC did not indicate a significant difference between the two treatments, while FEV1, V50, and V25 showed significantly greater changes after procaterol administration. The duration of action of procaterol in terms of FEV1, V50, and V25 was 6, 10, and 4 hr, respectively.

The effects of three different dosage schedules for sustained-release theophylline (Theolong) were investigated in children with asthma. With regimen II (unequal doses at 0800 h and 2000 h), the maximum plasma theophylline concentration following the evening dose was significantly higher than that following the morning dose, and also was larger than that following the evening dose with regimen I (equal doses at 0800 and 2000 h). With regimen III (equal doses at 0600 h and 2100 h), the mean theophylline concentration-time curve showed a single large peak at 1100 h, whereas with regimen I, there were two peaks at 2300 and at 1400 h. Knowledge that a change of the dosage schedule can affect the pharmacokinetics of theophylline in this way should aid physicians in its safe and effective use.

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