[Influenza vaccination and asthma]

A double investigation was carried out on the respiratory tolerance of IV in the asthmatic patient: 1. Retrospective based on case history in 87 mature adults (mean age 61 years) previously vaccinated once or several times. This showed poor respiratory tolerance in 21 patients (24%), as shown by difficulty in breathing (8 cases), paroxystic dyspnea (5 cases), an acute episode of asthma (8 cases), occurring soon after vaccination. 2. Clinical and respiratory functional prospective study of bronchial reactivity to carbachol (CBL) and flow-volume curves before and after administration of inactivated polyvalent vaccine, compared in 8 control subjects, 12 asthmatic patients, 19 cases of non-spactic chronic obstructive airway disease, 7 patients with sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis or operated bronchial cancer, investigated immediately before (day 0), 2, 6, 8 or in some cases 20 or 30 days after IV (D2, D6, D8, D20, D30): 2 of 8 controls showed a decrease in CBL sensitivity threshold at D2 or D6; 6 of 12 asthmatics reacted to the vaccine: 2 showed increased CBL reactivity, 1 lowered sensitivity threshold, 2 a decrease in the 50% and 25% flows at D2 and D6, 1 decreased MMFR and distal flows at D2; 4 of 19 cases of COPD, 1 of 7 cases of tuberculous sequelae showed various reactions at D2, D6, D8.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)