Bronchoconstriction triggered by breathing hot humid air in patients with asthma role of cholinergic reflex

Don Hayes, Paul B. Collins, Mehdi Khosravi, Ruei Lung Lin, Lu Yuan Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

126 Scopus citations

Abstract

Rationale: Hyperventilation of hot humid air induces transient bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma; the underlying mechanism is not known. Recent studies showed that an increase in temperature activates vagal bronchopulmonary C-fiber sensory nerves, which upon activation can elicit reflex bronchoconstriction. Objectives: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the bronchoconstriction induced by increasing airway temperature in patients with asthma is mediated through cholinergic reflex resulting from activation of these airway sensory nerves. Methods: Specific airway resistance (SRaw) and pulmonary function were measured to determine the airway responses to isocapnic hyperventilation of humidified air at hot (49°C; HA) and room temperature (20-22°C; RA) for 4 minutes in six patients with mild asthma and six healthy subjects. A double-blind design was used to compare the effects between pretreatments with ipratropium bromide and placebo aerosols on the airway responses to HA challenge in these patients. Measurements and Main Results:aw increased by 112% immediately after hyperventilation of HA and by only 38% after RA in patients with asthma. Breathing HA, but not RA, triggered coughs in these patients. In contrast, hyperventilation of HA did not cause cough and increased SRaw by only 22% in healthy subjects; there was no difference between their SRaw responses to HA and RA challenges. More importantly, pretreatment with ipratropium completely prevented the HA-induced bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma. Conclusions: Bronchoconstriction induced by increasing airway temperature in patients with asthma is mediated through the cholinergic reflex pathway. The concomitant increase in cough response further indicates an involvement of airway sensory nerves, presumably the thermosensitive C-fiber afferents.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1190-1196
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Volume185
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2012

Keywords

  • Asthma
  • Bronchoconstriction
  • Cough
  • Ipratropium
  • TRPV1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

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