[Non-respiratory factors and pulmonary function tests].
Non-respiratory factors, especially circulating hormones, have been emphasized to contribute to circadian variations in pulmonary functions. Herein, these relationships are reviewed, along with data from my department. Cosinor summary of urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline excretion revealed that they were similar to that of PEFR and DLCO, respectively. The acrophase of serum triiodothyronine (T3) was at 10PM in asthmatics, suggesting that serum T3 may affect the increase in bronchial reactivity at night, because a previous study showed a significant positive correlation between the serum T3 concentration and the slope of airway conductance measured by methacholine inhalation tests. There was no significant difference between normal and asthmatic rhythms of plasma cortisol. In addition to circulating hormones, a number of non-respiratory factors have been assumed to collaborate in nocturnal exacerbation of asthma. However, the exact cause of circadian variations of pulmonary functions is far from understood. Further examinations are required in this field to establish the theoretical ground for the chronotherapy of asthma.
Hitsuda
Y
Y
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago.
D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
D002395:Catecholamines; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D006854:Hydrocortisone