A DOUBLE-BLIND CROSS-OVER TRIAL OF THEOPHYLLINE PROPHYLAXIS FOR SLEEPHYPOXEMIA IN DUCHENNE MUSCULAR-DYSTROPHY

Twelve non-ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy underwen t a double-blind cross-over clinical trial of slow-release theophyllin e for the treatment of asymptomatic sleep hypoxaemia. Eight channel po lysomnography was carried out at home to identify patients with sleep hypoxaemia and this was repeated whilst on the theophylline and placeb o limbs of the trial. The trial design was effective in maintaining bl inding but theophylline adversely affected sleep quality and sleep hyp oxaemia. The overnight oxygen saturation was further reduced whilst on theophylline with reduced sleep efficiency and increased sleep fragme ntation. This trial lends further evidence towards the theory that I:h e underlying aetiology of sleep hypoxaemia is upper airway obstruction . (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.