Clinical use of methacholine bronchial challenge testing.
Whereas the research applications have been well established, the clinical utility of bronchial challenge testing is still being defined. In 19 of 22 patients referred for testing (86%), the results of a methacholine challenge test helped to confirm a clinical suspicion of asthma or to suggest that alternative diagnoses should be investigated. There was a discrepancy between the pretest suspicion of the referring physician and the results of the challenge test in six of these 19 patients (32%). Thus our experience suggests that bronchial challenge testing provides useful information to supplement clinical acumen in the diagnosis of asthma.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008688:Methacholine Compounds; D008875:Middle Aged
D008688:Methacholine Compounds