Abstract
Summary: Theophylline has recently been shown to affect lymphocyte reactivity. In view of its widespread use in newborn intensive care units, the effects on both lymphocyte proliferation and immunoglobulin production at varied throphylline concentrations were measured. In 12 adults and 10 term infants lymphocyte proliferation, as assessed by a whole blood micromethod, was significantly decreased in vitro at 7.5 μg/ml. Immunoglobulin production in adults was decreased, by both a plaque forming cell assay and a radioimmunoassay in vitro at 12.5 μg/ml. Ten premature infants on theophylline, mean serum level 7.8 μ 0.4 μg/ml, followed for 3–5 wk, showed a slight increase in lymphocyte proliferative responses to pokeweed mitogen. These data demonstrate no in vivo suppression of lymphocyte proliferation in theophylline-treated neonates at low theophylline levels.
Speculation: Low dose theophylline therapy in premature infants does not interfere with mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation. Further studies of the effects of theophylline on immunoregulatory function in neonates may demonstrate adverse effects.
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Baley, J., Ruuskanen, O., Miller, K. et al. Effects of Theophylline on the Neonatal Immune Response. Pediatr Res 16, 649–652 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198208000-00012
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198208000-00012