Source: Annual Congress 2003 - Assessing airway function: practicalities and clinical applications
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

In a prospective study of 39 patients referred to our center for suspected OA related to airborne latex, we compared BHR measurements prior to and after latex exposure. The histamine concentration provoking a 20% decrease in FEV₁ (PC₂₀) was assessed on 3 consecutive days: day 1: sham+BHR test, day 2: latex exposure (≤2h)+4h pause+BHR test, day 3: BHR test. Assuming a positive latex response on day 2 as a gold standard for OA to latex, and using different PC₂₀ levels between 0.03 and 8 mg/ml histamine as a cut-off to determine a positive BHR test on day 1, we established a receiver-operator curve. The BHR test showed a 90% sensitivity and 78% specificity for a PC₂₀ cut-off of 0.5mg/ml (positive and negative predictive values were 82% and 88%, respectively). On day 2, the latex positive patients (n=20) showed significantly lower PC₂₀ (geometric mean:0.05mg/ml) than on either day 1 (0.12mg/ml) or day 3 (0.09mg/ml) (p=0.02; repeated measures ANOVA on logPC₂₀). No significant PC₂₀ differences were observed between any of the three days in the latex negative group (p>0.1). The present results suggest a strong link between latex response and BHR. When using a low PC₂₀ cut-off to identify a positive BHR test, BHR may be a satisfactory predictor in the diagnosis of patients with suspected OA to latex. This could be particularly useful in settings where controlled latex exposure testing may not be feasible.

Rating:

Share or cite this content

Citations should be made in the following way:
D. Schuermans, S. Verbanck, W. Vincken (Brussels, Belgium). Role of histamine bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in the diagnosis of occupational asthma (OA) to latex. Eur Respir J 2003; 22: Suppl. 45, 3619

Member's Comments

No comment yet.

Related content which might interest you: Effects of smoking and atopy on bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) Source: Eur Respir J 2003; 22: Suppl. 45, 415s Year: 2003 Different associations of inflammation and current smoking with bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to histamine and BHR to AMP in families with asthma Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 410s Year: 2002 Correlation between score of Asthma Control Test (ACT) and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in young adults with bronchial asthma (BA) Source: Annual Congress 2006 - New developments in the treatment and management of asthma Year: 2006 Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine and exercise, relation to allergy in asthma patients Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 504s Year: 2002 Wheezing, atopy, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in exposed and unexposed female workers Source: Annual Congress 2005 - Cleaning and cooking: a risk for occupational and household asthma Year: 2005 The prevalence and severity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in asthmatic children in general practice Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 79s Year: 2002 Relationship of atopy, asthma severity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness Source: Eur Respir J 2001; 18: Suppl. 33, 429s Year: 2001 Time domain and flow indices of bronchial hyperresponsiveness: association with asthma symptoms, atopy and smoking Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: 86-91 Year: 2002 Individual allergens as risk factors for asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in Chinese children Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 19: 288-293 Year: 2002 Bronchial hyperreactivity, atopy and wheezing in asthma diagnostics Source: Eur Respir J 2003; 22: Suppl. 45, 291s Year: 2003 Epidemiology of asthma, allergy and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in sports Source: ISSN=ISSN 1025-448x, ISBN=ISBN 1-904097-22-7, page=1 Year: 2005 Cough during airway challenges: associations with bronchoconstriction and asthma Source: Annual Congress 2005 - Experimental approaches to the study of chronic cough and cigarette smoking Year: 2005 Functional activity of bronchial neutrophils in the patients with cold airway hyperresponsiveness (CAHR) in severe asthma Source: International Congress 2017 – Translational studies of lung disease Year: 2017 Airway hyperresponsiveness in children Source: Eur Respir Mon 2012; 56: 158-171 Year: 2012 Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine/AMP and the bronchodilator response in asthmatic children Source: Eur Respir J 2011; 37: 800-805 Year: 2011 Monitoring asthma in children: lung function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and inflammation Source: International Congress 2014 – Monitoring asthma in children: results of the ERS Task Force Year: 2014 Absence of nonspecific bronchial responsiveness (NSBR) in occupational asthma (OA): A case-series study Source: Annual Congress 2012 - Occupational asthma Year: 2012 Upper and lower airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in allergic rhinitis children with or without asthma Source: Annual Congress 2011 - Biological correlates and comorbidities of childhood asthma/allergy Year: 2011 Atopy but no bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is related to level of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in children with allergic rhinitis Source: Annual Congress 2008 - Exercise-induced asthma, acute severe asthma and allergic rhinitis in children Year: 2008 The incidence of respiratory symptoms and sensitisation in baker apprentices Source: Eur Respir J 2008; 32: 452-459 Year: 2008