Airway response to aerosol inhalations in leprosy
D'Souza, G.A.; Jindal, S.K.; Malik, S.K.; Kumar, B.; Kaur, S.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 87: 190-193
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 3294172 Document Number: 322814
To investigate the role of autonomic regulation of bronchial reactivity, airway responses to irritant (citric acid and hypertonic saline) and bronchoconstricting aerosols (methacholine) were measured in 20 patients of leprosy, as compared to healthy controls. Significant differences were found in lepromatous leprosy. Cough frequency to irritant aerosols was markedly diminished. There was bronchial hyporeactivity in leprosy as demonstrated by significantly high PD20 methacholine (geometric mean, 115.1 .+-. 3.4 mg). Postganglionic vagal fibre involvement is suggested as a factor responsible for bronchial hyporeactivity.