title: Repeated provocation tests in asthmatic children for testing tachyphylaxis to histamine.
abstract: Tachyphylaxis to histamine was investigated in 16 children, aged 7-15 years, with mild asthma. Three consecutive histamine challenges were performed at intervals of 24 hours and 1 hour, respectively. No significant differences in IVC, FEV1, and PC20-histamine values between the three measurements were observed. After a 24 hour interval there was no difference in percentage fall of FEV1, but there was a slight (not significant) decrease in fall of FEV1 after a 1 hour interval. The PC20-histamine values showed good reproducibility with a 24 hour as well as with a 1-hour period between the tests (geometric mean PC20, 2.04 mg/mL +/- 3.50 %SD, 1.96 mg/mL +/- 4.37 %SD, 2.17 mg/mL +/- 4.12 %SD; correlation coefficients for a 24 hour interval, r = 0.87 and for a one-hour interval, r = 0.94 (P less than 0.01]. We conclude that in children there is no strong evidence for tachyphylaxis to histamine. Our results differ from studies on tachyphylaxis in adult asthmatics. Possibly different mechanisms exist in children and in adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Roorda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerritsen
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: van Aalderen
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Schouten
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Knol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013618:Tachyphylaxis / Q000502:physiology*; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D006632:Histamine