[Longterm treatment of COPD with theophylline--still a valuable option?].

In the last decade the interest of pneumologists and therapeutic research has been focused on COPD. The increasing morbidity and mortality world wide and the important socio-economic impact challenged to improve the therapeutic options. New indications like LABA and newly introduced drugs like tiotropium may help to ameliorate symptoms, ICS potentially help to protect against exacerbations and to suppress components of the inflammatory process even in COPD.

[Milestones in inhalation therapy of airway diseases].

Inhalation is the preferred route for the application of drugs in the management of airway diseases. Therefore it was aimed at developing drugs suitable for inhalation. An important step was the introduction of the short- and long-acting beta 2-agonists and of a new generation of anticholinergics with longer duration of action.

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis in domestic environments (Domestic allergic alveolitis) caused by mouldy tapestry.

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis often occures as bird fancier's lung or is caused by occupational treatment with antigenic materials. In housing environments antigens of allergic alveolitis are also found, especially mould fungi. lf a source of antigens is absent in the anamnesis and the clinical picture as well as the clinical findings are ambiguous, the diagnosis of extrinsic allergic alveolits is delayed or unobtained.

Therapeutic equivalence and acceptability of two multidose powder inhalers in the treatment of asthma.

Background: Problems in using conventional inhalation aerosols, in addition to environmental reasons, have driven development of the dry powder inhalers.

Objective: To compare therapeutic equivalence and acceptability of two dry powder inhalers, Easyhaler (EH) and Diskhaler (DH), in the delivery of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) in the treatment of asthma.

Methods: Adult asthmatics (n = 185), previously treated with inhaled steroids, were recruited in this open parallel-group study.

[Theophylline--past present and future].

Since its discovery as component of the tea leaf by Albert Kossel in 1888, the history of theophylline (CAS 58-55-9) has been a long and successful one. At the turn of the century, theophylline became less expensive due to chemical synthesis and was primarily used as diuretic in subsequent years. It was Samuel Hirsch who discovered the bronchospasmolytic effect of theophylline in 1992, however, despite this pioneering discovery theophylline continued to be used primarily as diuretic and cardiac remedy.