OBJECTIVE: To investigate the bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) and pulmonary function in patients suffering from endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB), and therefore to provide clues for early and correct diagnosis of EBTB. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with EBTB, proved by fiberoptic bronchoscopy, chest computerized tomography and biopsy, received measurements of pulmonary ventilatory function, airway resistance (Raw), and bronchial responsiveness test. The results were analyzed by t test and correlations. RESULTS: As many as 41.7% of the patients with EBTB were found to have BHR, which had never been recognized before. The patients with EBTB usually had severe cough (100%, 24/24), shortness of breath (54%, 13/24), and wheezing, but bloody sputum was found in only 21% (5/24), and so the patients tended to be misdiagnosed as having asthma, especially cough variant asthma. FEV(1%) in the group of EBTB with BHR was significantly higher than that in the group of EBTB without BHR (t = 2.345, P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference of FEV(1)/FVC%, MMEF%, V(75%) and Raw between the two groups. In the group of EBTB with BHR, FEV(1%) showed a negative correlation with BHR (r = -0.61, P < 0.05), but there was no remarkable correlation between the other pulmonary function parameters with BHR. CONCLUSION: BHR is present in a considerable number of patients with EBTB, and therefore attention should be paid to the differential diagnosis of EBTB and cough variant asthma.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) and pulmonary function in patients suffering from endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB), and therefore to provide clues for early and correct diagnosis of EBTB. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with EBTB, proved by fiberoptic bronchoscopy, chest computerized tomography and biopsy, received measurements of pulmonary ventilatory function, airway resistance (Raw), and bronchial responsiveness test. The results were analyzed by t test and correlations. RESULTS: As many as 41.7% of the patients with EBTB were found to have BHR, which had never been recognized before. The patients with EBTB usually had severe cough (100%, 24/24), shortness of breath (54%, 13/24), and wheezing, but bloody sputum was found in only 21% (5/24), and so the patients tended to be misdiagnosed as having asthma, especially cough variant asthma. FEV(1%) in the group of EBTB with BHR was significantly higher than that in the group of EBTB without BHR (t = 2.345, P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference of FEV(1)/FVC%, MMEF%, V(75%) and Raw between the two groups. In the group of EBTB with BHR, FEV(1%) showed a negative correlation with BHR (r = -0.61, P < 0.05), but there was no remarkable correlation between the other pulmonary function parameters with BHR. CONCLUSION: BHR is present in a considerable number of patients with EBTB, and therefore attention should be paid to the differential diagnosis of EBTB and cough variant asthma.