Non-compliance in asthmatic children: a study of theophylline levels in a pediatric emergency room population.

: Sub-therapeutic theophylline levels due to patient (parent) non-compliance is a significant cause of outpatient treatment failure in childhood asthma. In a study of 50 known asthmatic children with acute asthmatic episodes, 98% had sub-therapeutic theophylline levels less than 10 mcg/ml with 75.5% due to inadequate patient (parent) compliance.