What do systematic reviews say?

Aminophylline vs placebo

Aminophylline showed no clear difference in hospital admissions compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Addition of intravenous aminophylline to inhaled beta₂‐agonists in adults with acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.58 [0.3, 1.12]
  6 studies · 315 participants
  Moderate

Aminophylline vs placebo

Aminophylline showed no clear difference in tremor compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Addition of intravenous aminophylline to inhaled beta₂‐agonists in adults with acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 2.6 [0.62, 11.02]
  5 studies · 249 participants
  Low

Aminophylline vs placebo

Aminophylline probably leads to higher vomiting compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Addition of intravenous aminophylline to inhaled beta₂‐agonists in adults with acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 4.21 [2.2, 8.07]
  7 studies · 321 participants
  Moderate

Aminophylline vs placebo

Aminophylline probably leads to higher arrhythmia/palpitations compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Addition of intravenous aminophylline to inhaled beta₂‐agonists in adults with acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 3.02 [1.15, 7.9]
  6 studies · 249 participants
  Moderate

Aminophylline vs placebo

• Addition of intravenous aminophylline to inhaled beta₂‐agonists in adults with acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 21 participants
  Moderate

IV + inhaled beta agonist vs inhaled beta‐agonist

IV + inhaled beta agonist showed no clear difference in admissions to hospital compared with inhaled beta‐agonist (low certainty).

• Addition of intravenous beta₂‐agonists to inhaled beta₂‐agonists for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.29 [0.06, 1.38]
  1 study · 29 participants
  Low

IV + inhaled beta agonist vs inhaled beta‐agonist

IV + inhaled beta agonist showed no clear difference in length of stay in emergency department compared with inhaled beta‐agonist (moderate certainty).

• Addition of intravenous beta₂‐agonists to inhaled beta₂‐agonists for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 46 participants
  Moderate

IV + inhaled beta agonist vs inhaled beta‐agonist

IV + inhaled beta agonist showed no clear difference in pulse rate at 2 hours compared with inhaled beta‐agonist (moderate certainty).

• Addition of intravenous beta₂‐agonists to inhaled beta₂‐agonists for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  MD 10
  1 study · 29 participants
  Moderate

IV + inhaled beta agonist vs inhaled beta‐agonist

IV + inhaled beta agonist probably leads to lower clinical Failure (children with a severe to moderate overall… compared with inhaled beta‐agonist (moderate certainty).

• Addition of intravenous beta₂‐agonists to inhaled beta₂‐agonists for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.09 [0.02, 0.38]
  1 study · 29 participants
  Moderate

IV beta‐agonists vs IV aminophylline

• Intravenous beta₂‐agonists versus intravenous aminophylline for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 73 participants
  Moderate

IV beta‐agonists vs IV aminophylline

• Intravenous beta₂‐agonists versus intravenous aminophylline for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 59 participants
  Moderate

IV beta‐agonists vs IV aminophylline

• Intravenous beta₂‐agonists versus intravenous aminophylline for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 59 participants
  Moderate

IV beta‐agonists vs IV aminophylline

• Intravenous beta₂‐agonists versus intravenous aminophylline for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 82 participants
  Low

IV beta‐agonists vs IV aminophylline

• Intravenous beta₂‐agonists versus intravenous aminophylline for acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 89 participants
  Moderate