[Bronchial hyperreactivity in non-asthmatic patients harboring a uterine fibroma]

One of the etiological factors of female late onset asthma lies in endocrine disorders and it often occurs during a period of hormonal instability (menopause or premenopause). Moreover various studies have shown increased allergic manifestations in women with gynecological problems (dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome). Gynecological pathology is found in 30% of 67 women who suffer from late onset asthma. Prospective studies were carried out in 28 women with surgical uterine fibroma, to investigate bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR). The study included atopic research through questioning and allergy skin tests; spirographic respiratory function study, airway resistance, carbachol BHR with determination of the threshold dose (FEV1 20% decrease). Carbachol BHR was found in 8/28 persons (28%), but with no clinical manifestations. None of the patients smoke and only one suffers from mite-allergic rhinitis-conjunctivitis without asthma. BHR is often found in asymptomatic women with uterine fibroma. Is this BHR due to an autonomic dysregulation or to a hormonal malfunction? This hypothesis would require further studies to elucidate, since premenstrual asthma worsening is a well known phenomenon, which can be improved by progesterone. This may suggest a possible link between hormonal malfunction and BHR in women. A long term survey will facilitate detection of late onset asthma.