[Nonspecific bronchial reactivity in chronic bronchitis]

In a segment of the population of Zagreb, Crnomerec, which was included in the epidemiological study on chronic bronchitis in Croatia (1969-1972-1982-1989) the values of ventilatory function and non-specific reactivity of airways were examined. The sample consisted of 34 women and 29 men with chronic bronchitis. The control group consisted of 34 men and 33 women--without cough. The average age was 58.6 (M) and 59.4 (F). Investigation of non-specific reactivity was carried out on the dosimeter apparatus APTA-Jaeger, Wurtzburg, W. Germany (by using histamine dehydrochloride (1-30 mg/ml dose) with expressed reactivity PC 40 Raw. PC 40 in subjects with chronic bronchitis amounted to 7.79 mg/ml in men and 8.89 mg/ml in women, which is significantly lower than the control group (14.04 M, 17.8 F). We did not determine significant difference between smokers and non-smokers with regard to PC 40. By factor analysis in an orthogonal projection a link was noted between symptoms of chronic bronchitis, basic values of ventilatory function and PC 40. This is in agreement with known results.