All issues > Volume 41(4); 1998

Case Report

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1998;41(4):548-552. Published online April 15, 1998.

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

Sang Woo SW Lee¹, Chang Keun CK Kim¹, Churl Young CY Chung¹, Young Doug YD Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Korea

Correspondence Sang Woo SW Lee ,Email: 1

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.

Keywords :Theophylline, Steroids, Status asthmaticus, Bleeding duodenal ulcer