Associations between asthma history, atopy, and non-specific bronchial responsiveness in young adults.
In 105 subjects taken from a student population and aged between 15 and 30 there was a strong positive association between the presence of the atopic state, defined by skin tests, and a high level of non-specific bronchial responsiveness to methacholine (chi 2 = 10.5, d.f. = 2, P = 0.01). Regression analysis showed a history of asthma, and the symptom of wheeze, to be predominantly predicted by the degree of bronchial responsiveness (R2 = 31%), with only a minor independent contribution from the degree of atopy (R2 a further 5%). The genetic or other reasons for the association between bronchial responsiveness and atopy may have importance in understanding the aetiology of allergic asthma.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D008688:Methacholine Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D012882:Skin Tests
D008688:Methacholine Compounds; D016210:Methacholine Chloride