title: Laughter-associated asthma.
abstract: This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of laughter-induced asthma, and to study any associations with asthma-related triggers and measures of disease activity, using a questionnaire-based survey of asthma subjects in both the community and on presentation to hospital. A total of 105 subjects participated, and 44 (41.9%) reported laughter-associated asthma. Exercise and laughter were strongly associated as triggers (p < 0.006), as well as molds and grass pollen (p = 0.03). It seems to be associated with poor asthma control as well, since hospital admissions are also more frequent in this group (p = 0.043). Laughter-induced asthma is strongly associated with exercise as a trigger; the mechanism remains uncertain, but better understanding of this problem may assist in controlling difficult asthma.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liangas
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yates
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D007845:Laughter; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index