Rye flour induces a stronger early bronchial response than wheat flour in occupational asthma.
BACKGROUND
Our aims were to compare the doses of wheat and rye flour that induce early bronchial responses in occupationally exposed asthmatic subjects and to assess the effects of the dose of inhaled flour, the duration of exposure and the dose rate.


METHODS
Ten patients underwent tests with lactose, wheat flour and rye flour. We compared the decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) observed during the challenge with flour and with lactose. We also calculated the amount of flour that was instantaneously active.


RESULTS
Seven subjects had significantly decreased FEV(1) values following exposure to wheat and rye flour and two subjects only did so for rye flour. The provocative dose (PD, dose required to reduce FEV(1) by 15%) of rye was lower than that of wheat flour (geometric mean; PD(15) rye: 95 microg; wheat: 368 microg). The calculated doses of rye and wheat flour were better correlated with the change in FEV(1) than were the cumulative doses.


CONCLUSIONS
The bronchial response was greater with rye than with wheat flour. The response was related to the dose of allergen inhaled and to the dose rate.
Bensefa
L
L
Service de Pathologie Professionnelle, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Cochin, 27 rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques, AP-HP-Université Paris 5, 75014 Paris, France.
Villette
C
C
Tabka
F
F
Causse-Sounillac
E
E
Fabriès
J F
JF
Choudat
D
D
D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D005433:Flour / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012434:Secale / Q000276:immunology*; D014908:Triticum / Q000276:immunology*