Chest
Clinical InvestigationsAsthmaRatio Between Forced Expiratory Flow Between 25% and 75% of Vital Capacity and FVC Is a Determinant of Airway Reactivity and Sensitivity to Methacholine
Section snippets
Study Design
Consecutive subjects who had a ≥ 20% reduction in FEV1 after ≤ 189 cumulative units (cu) of methacholine between January 1993 and September 2000 were included in the study. Only subjects with known interstitial lung diseases, neuromuscular diseases, and diaphragm paralysis were excluded. All studies were performed in the Pulmonary Function Laboratory of Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island.
Pulmonary Function Testing
Spirometry was performed using standard techniques on the spirometer (Transfer Test Model C Apparatus; Morgan
Results
A total of 764 subjects were included in this analysis. Sixty-one of the subjects performed only spirometry, and the remaining 703 subjects had both spirometry and lung volume data. The ages of the subjects ranged from 4 to 91 years (mean ± SD, 40.8 ± 19.6 years). There were 224 male (29%) and 540 female (71%) patients. Baseline PFT results of the group were all within normal limits (Table 1).
There was a significant association between FEF25–75/FVC ratio and airway reactivity as assessed by a
Discussion
Analysis of this group of 764 subjects showed significant association between FEF25–75/FVC ratio and airway reactivity and sensitivity. Subjects with lower FEF25–75/FVC ratios had higher airway reactivity and sensitivity to methacholine as assessed by the DRS and PD20. This association existed for both male and female subjects, subjects of various age groups and remained significant after excluding subjects with evidence of overt airway obstruction.
Airway hyperresponsiveness is considered one
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors thank Gail Dusseault and Laureen Sheehan for technical support.
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