The relationship between respiratory symptoms and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in a population-based sample of adolescents and young adults.
OBJECTIVE
to study the relationship between chronic respiratory symptoms and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in adolescence and young adulthood and to assess the possible predictive value of these symptoms for BHR.


METHODS
a cross-sectional analysis: in a population sample of 551 subjects aged 10-23 years, data collected with a standardized questionnaire on respiratory symptoms were compared with the results of a histamine challenge test.


RESULTS
43% of the subjects reported one or more chronic respiratory symptoms; of these subjects 54% did not show BHR. Forty-two per cent of the subjects had a PC20 < or = 8.0 mg ml-1 histamine, of which 53% reported no chronic respiratory symptoms. Wheezing and breathlessness were related to the level of BHR, but only 'breathless when walking on the flat' was independently related to BHR; however, its predicted value for BHR was negligible.


CONCLUSIONS
in adolescents and young adults the relationship between chronic respiratory symptoms and BHR is incomplete. A standardized questionnaire on respiratory symptoms does not provide adequate information to discriminate between those with and without BHR.
Kolnaar
B G
BG
Department of General Practice and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Janssen
J L
JL
Folgering
H
H
van den Hoogen
H J
HJ
van Weel
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires