Airway hyperreactivity in patients with sarcoidosis

Methacholine challenge testing was performed in 20 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and 13 normal control subjects. Increased methacholine responsiveness was demonstrated in 10 of 20 patients with sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis patients with increased reactivity differed from those with normal reactivity in that they had more airway obstruction, smaller vital capacities, and lower single breath diffusing capacities for carbon monoxide. Responders tended to be more symptomatic with wheezing and cough and to have a longer duration of disease, although these differences did not reach statistical significance.