EFFECTS OF THEOPHYLLINE ON NOCTURNAL SLEEP AND DAYTIME SLEEPINESS ALERTNESS

To study the short-term effects of theophylline on sleep and wakefulne ss, 24 healthy men and women, aged 21 to 35 years, received each of th ree doses, 0, 3, and 6 mg/kg, of theophylline double-blind in a Latin Square design, administered to 12 subjects at 9 AM and to the other 12 at 11 PM. After the daytime administration, sleep latency was tested at 10 AM 12 NOON, 2 PM, and 4 PM and divided attention and auditory vi gilance performance were tested at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. After the nig httime administration, a standard 8-h polysomnogram was collected, On a separate day all subjects received a single 6-mg/kg dose at 9 AM and blood samples were drawn at 8:30 and 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 2:30 ar, and 4:30 Pha. The serum theophylline levels for the 6-mg/kg dose peaked a t 11.0 mu g/mL and declined to 8.1 mu g/mL by 4:30 PM. In the daytime administration, daytime mean sleep latency was increased by both doses and performance was improved by the high dose but not the low dose. I n the nighttime administration, nocturnal sleep onset was delayed and total wake time was increased by the high dose but not the low dose, T he low dose increased the amount of light stage 1 sleep without produc ing wakefulness.