J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1998 Apr;41(4):548-552.

Fatal Doudenal Ulcer Bleeding in Status Asthmaticus Treated with Theophylline and Steroids

• Lee SW
• Kim CK
• Chung CY
• Kim YD

Abstract

It is generally agreed that theophylline preparations and steroids should be given intravenously for status asthmaticus. Theophylline can potentially have adverse gastrointestinal effects including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and hematemesis. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients treated with corticosteroids without a past history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been reported rarely. But the etiologic significance of the stress of status asthmaticus, administration of theophylline or corticosteroids in the development of ulcer has been open to question. We report a case of 8-year-old boy with status asthmaticus treated with these medications and later found to have a bleeding duodenal ulcer for which emergency surgery was necessary.

Keyword

Theophylline; Steroids; Status asthmaticus; Bleeding duodenal ulcer

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Child
Duodenal Ulcer
Emergencies
Hematemesis
Hemorrhage*
Humans
Male
Nausea
Status Asthmaticus*
Steroids*
Theophylline*
Ulcer*
Vomiting
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Steroids
Theophylline