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[A comparison between the effects of albuterol and isoproterenol in bronchodilation test]
1Department of Internal Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, WCUMS, Chengdu 610041, China.
Objective:
To compare albuterol with isoproterenol as a bronchodilator in pulmonary function test and their value in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of asthma.
Methods:
Two groups (59 patients with asthma and 37 patients with COPD) were included in this study, and the patients of each group were randomly divided into 2 subgroups. The patients in the 2 subgroups inspired the two drugs in a cross-over by odd or even days. The pulmonary functions were evaluated.
Results:
The changing rates of pulmonary functions induced by the two drugs in the two groups were positively correlated (P < 0.005), The changing rates of FEV1, MMEF, Raw, sGaw induced by albuterol were higher than the ones induced by isoproterenol in patients with asthma(P < 0.02), however the changing rates of FVC and PEF in asthma cases and all the above parameters in COPD cases were not significantly different between the two drugs(P > 0.10). The comparison of positive case number between asthma and COPD cases induced by both drugs showed significant difference(P < 0.005); especially, when the positive rate of sGaw induced by albuterol in asthma cases reached 98%, the positive rates in COPD cases was generally much lower.
Conclusion:
Bronchodilation test is a valuable diagnostic method for asthma. In this study, albuterol was superior to isoproterenol. The most sensitive index in bronchodilation test was sGaw, then in order, FEV1(92%), MMEF and Raw; the FVC and PEF were relatively insensitive.