¹Respiratory Center, Army Force Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq
²Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq
³Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Diyala, Baqubah, Iraq DOI : 10.29228/jrp.80 Coronavirus has affected people of all ages, gender, and various health status. Persons with chronic diseases or other health conditions may have severe illness from COVID-19. There is no specific drug targeting the coronavirus. Aminophylline is a phosphodiesterase enzyme inhibitor that stimulates the respiratory center and peripherally relaxes the bronchial smooth muscle, which explain its anti-hypoxic effect. This study aimed to show the effect of aminophylline as an anti-hypoxic agent as add-on therapy to the high flow rate oxygen in COVID-19 patients who presented with low blood oxygen. This case managemnt study was carried out in the Army Force Hospital- Respiratory Centre from 10^th April-20^thAugest 2020. Thirty-one patients with severe COVID-19 illness were treated with aminophylline (250-500 mg, slow intravenous infusion, per day) after 2-5 days of respiratory distress. Aminophylline therapy is effective in relieving the hypoxia by elevating the blood saturation with oxygen in 100% (10 out of 10 patients) in COVID-19 patients without evidence of risk factors or concomitant diseases. The effectiveness of aminophylline declined to 81.9% in patients with concomitant diseases, and it was ineffective in 4 patients, three of them survived with artificial ventilation, and one of them was died despite using all supportive measures. In conclusion, Aminophylline as anti-hypoxic agent is associated with improved outcome in severe COVID-19. Its effect is extended to patients with risk factors or concomitant diseases. Keywords : COVID-19; aminophylline; antihypoxic; survival rate