title: Provoking factors in bronchial asthma.
abstract: Asthmatic patients were identified as having asthma on the basis of lung function studies (76%), objective physical findings of asthma (11%), or a strong history of asthma (13%). Each of the 234 patients so identified was assigned to an asthma subgroup determined by careful clinical assessment of the major provoking factor or factors for his asthmatic episodes; minor provoking factors were also identified. Only 20% of the patients had asthmatic episodes provoked by a single factor. Most asthmatics had at least one major and one or more minor provoking factor(s). Reagin-mediated mechanisms constituted the major provoking factor in 25% of patients and were a minor provoking factor in an additional 20% of the patients. Thus, in only 45% of the patients, were reaginic mechanisms responsible for some part of their asthmatic episodes.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008688:Methacholine Compounds; D008875:Middle Aged; D011935:Reagins; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications; D013183:Sputum; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D008688:Methacholine Compounds; D011935:Reagins; D007545:Isoproterenol; D001241:Aspirin