[The detection of biphasic reactivity of the airway by astograph]

Dose-related curves of the airway responses to Methacholine by Astograph are frequently biphasic. That is, respiratory resistance (Rrs) increases slowly at first and rapidly after that. We proposed (-dGrs/dt)/Grs obtained by using Astograph as an index of dynamic property of the airway, which we suggested was related to a coefficient of the contraction or dilatation of the airway. Grs represents respiratory conductance. By calculating (-dGrs/dt)/Grs, we found that biphasic dose-related curves were composed of the slow and subsequently rapid contraction of the airways. And by mathematical analysis, we found that all segments of the airway contracted simultaneously at a uniform velocity. The combination of slow and rapid contraction explains three types of the airway responses, that is, the monophasic reactivity of the airway with slow contraction, the monophasic reactivity of the airway with rapid contraction and the biphasic reactivity of the airway with slow and subsequently rapid contraction. We found that the frequency of the monophasic reactivity of the airway with slow contraction was significantly higher in patients with COPD than in healthy subjects or in patients with mild asthma. But there was no significant difference in (-dGrs/dt)/Grs values among healthy subjects, patients with mild asthma and patients with COPD.