[Oral testing for sulfite asthma].
OBJECTIVE
Patients with asthma may develop bronchoconstriction after ingestion of sulfites. We studied the sensitivity and specificity of an oral provocation challenge with metabisulfite to detect a sulfite-sensitive asthma.


METHODS
We performed an oral dose-response metabisulfite challenge in 44 patients with a history of sulfite-sensitive asthma, 27 patients with asthma but without a history of sulfite sensitivity, and 8 control subjects without asthma. Metabisulfite was administered in capsules in a single-blind manner. Airway response was assessed by FEV decline, measured 30' after each dose.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine percent of patients with a history of sulfite-sensitive asthma demonstrated a significant bronchoconstriction after ingestion of metabisulfite, whereas patients without an appropriate history and control subjects did not respond to the challenge.


CONCLUSIONS
The oral metabisulfite challenge exhibits a high specificity (100%) but low sensitivity of about 40%. Nonetheless, taking into account the uncertainties in the patients' history of sulfite-sensitive asthma, the oral metabisulfite challenge as performed by us is a useful method for the diagnosis of sulfite sensitive asthma.
Hein
H
H
Krankenhaus Grosshansdorf, Zentrum für Pneumologie und Thoraxchirurgie, Grosshansdorf.
Kirsten
D
D
Jörres
R A
RA
Magnussen
H
H
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013447:Sulfites / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects
D013447:Sulfites; C030981:metabisulfite
Die orale Testung auf Sulfitasthma.