1987 Volume 36 Issue 12 Pages 1061-1067
We studied the measurement of saliva and serum theophylline concentrations(175 pair samples in adult asthmatic patients)which were analysed by the i-PiT system in the nephelometory method. There was a significant relationship in 92 pair samples (r=0.973, y=1.12x + 2.79). The application of a conversion equation (y=1.12x + 2.79) produced a good relationship between the observed and predicted serum theophylline concentrations in 83 pair samples. This result shows that saliva concentrations are valuable in monitoring serum theophylline concentrations. The therapeutic range for saliva corresponding to the generally accepted serum concentration range(10-20μg/ml)was approximately 6.5-15.5 μg/ml in our study. The half life(3.8hr)calculated from saliva concentrations, however was shorter than that(6.3hr)calculated from observed serum theophylline concentrations. Therefore the calculation of Pharmacokinetics from saliva theophylline concentrations is not useful and may be dangerous.
