[An analysis of the data from the neurophysiological examination of patients with bronchial asthma and hyperventilation]

Bronchial asthma (BA) patients with hyperventilation (HV) were examined by means of evoked cutaneous sympathetic potential (ECSP) and short-latency evoked stem potentials to acoustic stimulation (SLESP to AS). Measurements of these parameters allowed quantitation and differentiation of hyperventilation disorders in BA patients. The latter were divided into 4 groups: BA patients with HV syndrome (HVS), BA patients with functional HV (FHV), BA patients with spontaneous HV (SHV) and BA patients without HV. BA patients with HVS exhibited a significant increase of latent ECSP period and latent periods III and V SLESP to AS peaks. This evidences for vegetative neuropathy and dysfunction of the pons and mesencephalic brain compartments. In BA patients with FHV there was a longer latent period II of SLESP to AS peak indicating dysfunction of caudal brain stem. BA patients with SHV and without HV had no significant shifts.