Can an airway challenge test predict respiratory diseases? A population-based international study

• Background: Evidence on the longitudinal association of airway responsiveness with respiratory diseases is scarce. The best indicator of responsiveness is still undetermined. Objective: We investigated the association of airway responsiveness with the incidence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and allergic rhinitis. Methods: We studied 3851 subjects who underwent spirometry and methacholine challenge tests both at baseline (1991-1993), when they were 20 to 44 years old, and at follow-up (1999-2002) in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Airway responsiveness was defined based on the methacholine dose-response slope on both occasions. Incidence rate ratios for the association of airway responsiveness with disease occurrence were computed by using Poisson regression. Results: With respect to reference (slope of the fourth quintile or greater), subjects with the greatest degree of airway responsiveness (slope less than the first quintile) showed the greatest risk of developing asthma, COPD, and allergic rhinitis (incidence rate ratios of 10.82, 5.53, and 4.84, respectively; all P <.01). A low slope predicted disease occurrence, even in subjects who did not reach a 20% decrease in FEV1 at the cumulative dose of 1 mg of methacholine (PD20 >1 mg). A decrease in slope over time was an independent predictor of disease risk. Conclusion: Airway responsiveness predicted new-onset asthma, COPD, and allergic rhinitis. Our study supports the use of a continuous noncensored indicator of airway responsiveness, such as the slope of the methacholine dose-response curve, in clinical practice and research because it showed clear advantages over PD20. © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Lungmedicin och allergi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Respiratory Medicine and Allergy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

airflow obstruction

Airway hyperresponsiveness

allergic rhinitis

asthma

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

European Community Respiratory Health Survey

methacholine

adult

airway

article

chronic obstructive lung disease

controlled study

diagnostic test accuracy study

dose response

female

follow up

forced expiratory volume

forced vital capacity

health survey

human

incidence

inhalation test

lung function test

major clinical study

male

multicenter study

Poisson distribution

predictive value

predictor variable

priority journal

respiratory tract allergy

respiratory tract disease

risk factor

sensitivity and specificity

spirometry

young adult

Airway hyperresponsiveness

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

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