Bronchial reactivity in cystic fibrosis

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Allergy and Immunology

Background:

• Asthma prevalence in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is debated.
• Bronchial hyperresponsiveness is a key feature of asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of asthma in cystic fibrosis patients.
• To compare bronchial reactivity in CF patients and asthmatic children.
• To determine if bronchial reactivity in CF is linked to atopy or lung disease severity.

Main Methods:

• Studied 50 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
• Compared histamine responsiveness in CF patients and asthmatic children.
• Assessed correlation between histamine response, atopy, and pulmonary function in CF patients.

Main Results:

• Histamine responsiveness was 24% in CF patients versus >90% in asthmatic children.
• No correlation found between histamine response and atopy in CF patients.
• Positive histamine responders in CF only occurred in patients with abnormal prechallenge pulmonary function.

Conclusions:

• Heightened bronchial reactivity in CF patients reflects underlying lung disease severity.
• Coexistent asthma is unlikely to be the cause of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in CF.
• Bronchial reactivity in CF is associated with disease severity, not allergic mechanisms.