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Bronchoprovocation testing.
1Pulmonary Function Laboratory, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Clinics in Chest Medicine
|January 15, 2002
Summary
Bronchoprovocation testing, used for over 50 years, assesses airflow limitation. Newer indirect stimuli show high specificity for asthma, potentially increasing future clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Bronchoprovocation testing has a long history, exceeding 50 years.
- Standardized guidelines are crucial for safe, accurate, and reproducible bronchial responsiveness assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current landscape of bronchoprovocation testing.
- To highlight the growing interest and potential clinical relevance of indirect stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on bronchoprovocation testing methodologies.
- Analysis of the diagnostic utility of direct versus indirect stimuli.
Main Results:
- Direct-acting stimuli like methacholine are currently most common in clinical practice.
- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to indirect stimuli (exercise, cold air, AMP) is highly specific for asthma.
Conclusions:
- Indirect bronchoprovocation agents may offer greater clinical relevance for asthma diagnosis.
- Future clinical practice may see increased utilization of indirect stimuli for asthma assessment.