Abstract
Four-step methacholine provocation test (cumulative doses of methacholine, respectively 100, 300, 700 and 1100 μg), exercise challenge test and assessment of peak expiratory flow variability (four times daily for two weeks) were used in the cross-sectional study in order to reveal the prevalence of bronchial hyperreactivity among the Estonian schoolchildren. The study included 458 children from Tallinn (industrialized capital, situated on the cost) and 653 children from Tartu (inland, university town) aged 10-12 years. The prevalence of positive skin prick test was 13% in Tallinn and 8.3% in Tartu. Surprisingly the number of positive responses in the methacholine challenge tests was significantly higher in Tartu than in Tallinn (31% and 19% respectively). Similarily, decrease of FEV1, value more than 15% was observed in exercise challenge tests (18% and 6% respectively). There was a good correlation between the data obtained in the methacholine and exercise challenge tests (p=0.006). The findings show that other factors than sensitization to allergens are important for bronchial hyperreactivity.
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Vasar, M., Julge, K., Riikjärv, MA. et al. 327 THE RESULTS OF VARIOUS LUNG FUNCTION TESTS AMONG ATOPIC AND NON-ATOPIC ESTONIAN SCHOOLCHILDREN. Pediatr Res 36, 57 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00327
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00327