[Pulmonary mechanics of bronchial asthma (author's transl)]

Airway resistance was measured in 10 patients with bronchial asthma before and 5--30 minutes after gradual effort of 60 and 95 watt by means of bodyplethysmography. The resistance values showed three typical alterations: 1. no reaction; 2. decrease of resistance at 60 watt and increase at 95 watt; 3. increase at both degrees of exercise. In another group of patients with asthma the resistance was determined by means of the eosophagus-balloon method before, during and after exercise. The trend of resistance alteration was not identical during and after exercise. This behaviour of bronchial obstruction shows that unspecific factors affect the pulmonary mechanics because of the changed bronchial reactivity. The behaviour of a single patient with bronchial asthma is not predictable.