A comparison of oral theophylline and oral salbutamol in exercise-induced asthma.

Ten patients with exercise-induced asthma were premedicated with oral salbutamol and oral theophylline on separate occasions before performing a standardised exercise test. Although both agents produced bronchodilatation, reflected by increases in peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) at rest, they were generally ineffective in preventing an abnormal post-exercise fall in PEFR. Only one patient was afforded protection by salbutamol and another two patients by theophylline.