Temperature and humidity modify airway response to inhaled histamine in normal subjects

I. Amirav, M. Plit

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

The airway response to inhaled histamine is known to be influenced by various stimuli (e.g., infection, ozone). Temperature (T) has been shown to affect it in vitro. We studied whether T and humidity (H) modify airway response to inhaled histamine in normal subjects. Twelve normal subjects 21 to 46 yr of age (mean age, 29 yr) performed two similar histamine inhalation tests, the only difference being the conditions of the inspired air. One test was done while breathing cold dry air (mean T ± SEM, -17.3 ± 1.8°C; relative H, 0%) and the other while breathing warm humid air (mean T ± SEM, 33.9 ± 0.5°C; relative H, 100%). Whereas the geometric mean histamine concentration required to produce a 15% fall in FEV1 in the warm humid tests was 22.7 mg/ml, it was 11.9 mg/ml in the cold dry test (p < 0.01). It is concluded that the T and H of inspired air modify the airway response to inhaled histamine in normal subjects.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1416-1420
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican Review of Respiratory Disease
Volume140
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1989
Externally publishedYes

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