title: Vasoactive intestinal peptide as a bronchodilator in severe asthma.
abstract: In two studies vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) was administered intravenously to two groups of eight in-patient volunteers recovering from severe acute asthma. VIP (6 pmol/kg/min) infusion caused significant (p less than 0.01) increase in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of 26 +/- 9 (SEM) l/min after 30 minutes infusion compared with a bronchodilation of 39 +/- 19 l/min seen with salbutamol (5 mcg/min). Following pretreatment with nebulized ipratropium bromide, VIP infusion caused a significant (p less than 0.02) bronchodilation of 25 l/min. VIP is a bronchodilator in severe asthma, although its effects are less than conventional medication. Reflex mechanisms are unlikely to explain the bronchodilatory effect of intravenous VIP.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide