Problems of Oral Therapy with Theophylline

To the Editor: Sustained-release preparations of theophylline are recommended for maintenance therapy of asthma.^1,2 One such preparation is Slo-Phyllin Gyrocaps (Dooner), which has been shown to be completely absorbed.^{1 2 3} In the very young patient who cannot swallow the intact capsule, it has been recommended that the preparation be given by opening the capsule and sprinkling the contents on soft food.⁴ We report the case of a child in whom adequate absorption of this preparation did not occur with this method of administration. The patient was a 19-month-old girl who was treated on the hospital ward with Slo-Phyllin Gyrocaps, 90 mg.