| Methods |
Randomization: yes (method not mentioned)
Blinding: double‐blind
Number excluded: no details
Withdrawals: none
Baseline characteristics: HR 128 (sd 11) iv, 125 (sd 7) theoph; BP 139 (sd 17) / 87 (sd 9) iv, 157 (sd 20) / 91 (sd 9) theoph; PaO2 7.5 kpa (sd 1.1) iv, 7.7 (sd 1.6) theoph; PaCO2 5.6 kpa (sd 1.2) iv, 5.3 (sd 1.6) theoph; PEFR 75 (sd 15) iv, 90 (sd 20) theoph
Jadad score: "strong", score >/= 3 |
| Participants |
Location: Penarth, South Glamorgan
Participants: 20 final (11 salbutamol, 9 theoph)Asthma definition and severity: definition not specified, included if HR > 120, pred PEFR < 25%, PaO2 < 69.8
Exclusion criteria: none mentioned
Inhaled corticosteroid use: no details |
| Interventions |
Parallel study, iv salbutamol vs. theophylline
Standard care: O2 NPV 28%, hydrocortisone 1000 mg iv
Treatment group: aminophylline 500 ug iv at 0 min infused over 60 min vs. salbutamol 500 ug iv at 0 min infused over 60 min (8.33 ug/min)
Placebo: none |
| Outcomes |
PFTs: PEFR iv 114 (sd 27), 128 (sd 53), 161 (sd 85); theoph 109 (sd 34), 118 (sd 43), 134 (sd 64)
Timing: 15, 30, 60 min
Admissions:
Side effects: iv 5 (3 HA, 2 tremor); theoph 7 (2 HA, 3 tremor, 4 nausea, 1 vomit, 4 extrasystoles)
Complications: |
| Notes |
|
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Investigators unaware as to order of randomisation sequence |
