[Test of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity to water mist in patients with atopic bronchial asthma]

22 males with atopic asthma in clinical remission and 22 healthy males were evaluated. The age of the 44 males ranged from 19 to 23 years. Atopy was diagnosed in patients with a characteristic medical history, positive skin prick tests and elevated serum IgE levels. All patients underwent a bronchial provocation test to distilled water mist. The aerosol was produced in a ultrasonic nebuliser (Thomex) at a speed of 2 ml/min. All spirometric tests were carried out using Pneumoscreen (Jaeger) before and after inhalation of 2, 6, 12, 20 and 30 ml of distilled water. A positive test was defined: as a decrease of FEV1 by/or more 10%, decrease of MEF50 by/or more 25% and increase of Raw by/or more 30%. A positive test was found in 7 patients with atopic asthma after inhalation of 20 ml of distilled water. Sole lowering of FEV1 was seen in 11 asthmatics. In the control bronchial constriction could not be induced.