title: Relationship between degree of nonspecific hyperresponsiveness and number of positive skin tests in asthmatics.
abstract: Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is a typical feature of asthma, and is, at least in part, related to the chronic inflammation. Allergen exposure is a major trigger and cause of allergic inflammation. The possible relationship between the degree of bronchial reactivity and the number of positive skin test was studied. One hundred and one patients with allergic asthma (and rhinitis) underwent skin-prick tests and methacholine bronchial challenge according to standard protocols. No significant relation was found between the degree of BHR and age or sex. Conversely, it was found that the number of positive skin tests correlated well with the degree of BHR (p = 0.046); in particular, those patients with three or more sensitivities showed greater bronchial reactivity. The present data support the hypothesis that allergic polysensitized patients may exhibit greater bronchial hyperresponsiveness, possibly due to an enhanced inflammatory component related to the exposure to multiple allergens.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Internal Medicine, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passalacqua
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciprandi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scordamaglia
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012882:Skin Tests