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Airway responses to sulfur dioxide and methacholine in asthmatics

Journal Article · · JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6376977

Sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) is a common air pollutant found in the workplace. Considerable variation exists in the airway responses of asthmatics to the inhalation of SO/sub 2/. To determine if such variation among asthmatics is related to nonspecific airway reactivity, the authors compared the threshold doses of methacholine and SO/sub 2/ required to produce significant changes in flow rates at 60% of the vital capacity below total lung capacity on the partial expiratory flow volume curve in a group of eight mildly asthmatic subjects. A significant correlation between the dose of SO/sub 2/ and the dose of methacholine required to produce bronchoconstriction (r = .86, p less than .05) was observed, suggesting that there is a relationship between the response to SO/sub 2/ and the response to methacholine in mildly asthmatic individuals. More generally, nonspecific airway hyperreactivity may help to predict airway responses to inhaled SO/sub 2/ in the workplace.

OSTI ID:
6376977
Journal Information:
JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States) Vol. 4; ISSN JJOMD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English