CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ASTHMATIC AIRWAY RESPONSE TO INHALED DILUENT

Abstract

The airway response to an aerosolized diluent was analyzed in patients with asthma. Of the patients, 50% responded to diluent with less than a 10% variation from baseline (non responders), but 20% of the patients respondes with more than a 25% difference from baseline (responders). This stresses the need for control data with diluent prior to bronchial challenge with a provocative agent.