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Reproducibility of the bronchoconstrictive response to eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea
N C Williams1, M A Johnson1, K A Hunter1
1Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
Respiratory Medicine
|August 26, 2015
Summary
Eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea (EVH) reliably identifies bronchoconstriction in males with asthma. This test is reproducible for screening exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) and monitoring asthma symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Medicine
- Pulmonary Function Testing
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea (EVH) is a recognized method for diagnosing exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB).
- The reproducibility of bronchoconstriction induced by EVH (HIB) has not been previously established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the short- and long-term reproducibility of the hyperpnoea-induced bronchoconstriction (HIB) response to EVH.
- To assess the clinical utility of EVH for identifying EIB in physically active males.
Main Methods:
- Two cohorts of physically active males (controls and those with asthma) underwent EVH tests on multiple occasions over 21 days (short-term) and 70 days (long-term).
- Bronchoconstriction was assessed by the percentage fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) post-EVH.
- HIB was defined as a ≥10% decrease in FEV1.
Main Results:
- In the asthma group, EVH consistently induced a significant fall in FEV1 (25-27%) across all test days in both short- and long-term studies.
- The day-to-day coefficient of variation for FEV1 fall was 10-12% in the HIB-positive group.
- Reproducibility and smallest meaningful change values indicated a stable HIB response over time.
Conclusions:
- The EVH test demonstrates reproducible bronchoconstrictive responses in physically active males diagnosed with asthma.
- These findings support the use of EVH as a reliable tool for screening and monitoring exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB).
