Evaluation of the bronchial provocation test with histamine in asthmatic children
Vázquez Cordero, C.; Azcárate, M.J.; Salazar, M.
Anales Espanoles de Pediatria 25(5): 335-340
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0302-4342 PMID: 3813226 Document Number: 283347
Histamine inhalation challenge was performed in 32 asthmatic children aged 6 through 13, 20 control children aged 8 through 14, and 16 control adults aged 24 through 37 years. Histamine concentration producing a 20% fall in baseline FEV1 (PC20FEV1) was obtained. No control adult had a value below 8 mg/ml unlike 7 (35%) control children, all of them with values between 4 and 8 mg/ml. Asthmatics only on intermittent bronchodilators had higher PC20FEV1 values than those requiring daily medications. A value of 2 mg/ml was roughly the limit between these two subpopulations of asthmatic children. Test showed a high reproducibility in a two hour interval. Histamine inhalation challenge is useful in diagnosis of asthma and in assessment of its, severity. A PC20FEV1 value of less than 8 mg/ml may not be always reliable in indicating bronchial hyperreactivity, depending on the method used and-or the population studied.