An investigation of the mechanism of ethanol-induced bronchoconstriction

A 28-year-old Asian-American woman complained of symptoms of acute bronchoconstriction after drinking alcohol beverages. We documented the presence of ethanol-induced bronchoconstriction in this patient by administering oral ethanol challenges under controlled conditions. Bronchoconstriction was not prevented by pretreatment with atropine sulfate or cromolyn, suggesting that neither cholinergic postganglionic pathways nor mediator release from mast cells was the cause of the acute airway narrowing. The rapid decrease in specific airway conductance after ethanol ingestion and the association with symptoms of vasomotor sensitivity suggest that ethanol may have acted in this patient by releasing one or more secondary mediators with vasoactive and bronchoactive properties.