Improved working capacity in patients with ischaemic heart disease during a 10-day treatment with oral theophylline.

The objective of this study was to assess whether a 10-d treatment with oral theophylline improves the working capacity in patients with ischaemic heart disease, and to compare theophylline with conventional anti-anginal therapy. Twenty-four patients with stable effort-induced angina were included in the study. The patients received double-blind treatment in randomized order during 4 consecutive 10-d periods, separated by a 4-d wash-out period, with (a) metoprolol durules 200 mg once daily + theophylline durules 300 mg b.i.d., (b) theophylline + placebo, (c) metoprolol + placebo, and (d) placebo alone. At the end of each period a supine exercise stress test was performed. Maximal workload increased to 111 +/- 6 W during treatment with theophylline, compared to 106 +/- 6 W during placebo treatment (P = 0.01). Metoprolol increased the maximal workload to 117 +/- 6 W (P less than 0.001). The effects of metoprolol and theophylline were additive, and the working capacity increased to 123 +/- 7 W during combined therapy. Neither the degree of ST-depression nor the scoring of chest pain at maximal workload differed between the four treatment regimens. An improved working capacity was shown in patients with stable effort-induced angina pectoris during long-term theophylline treatment. The effect was additive to that of beta-blockade.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes