Bronchial hyper-reactivity in atopic patients during H2-receptor blocker treatment

Bronchial reactivity after Cimetidine treatment was evaluated by the histamine provocation test in 24 patients with atopic bronchial asthma and 10 patients with peptic ulcer. Anti-IgE induced histamine release from isolated basophils was also investigated. After blockade of H2 receptors, an increase of bronchial reactivity and an exacerbation of clinical symptoms were observed in 4 asthmatic patients [17%]. A moderate increase in bronchial reactivity without exacerbation of asthma symptoms was observed in 16 other patients [66%]. In some of the patients treated with Cimetidine an enhancement of IgE-induced histamine release from isolated basophils was observed.