The frequency and importance of bronchial hyperreactivity in patients with allergic and non-allergic rhinitis.

A trial was undertaken to evaluate the occurrence of bronchial hyperreactivity, typical of bronchial asthma, in 50 patients with hay fever (rhinitis allergica) and 45 patients with rhinitis vasomotorica nonallergica, as opposed to a group of healthy subjects and patients with bronchial asthma. All the patients were subjected to spirographic examinations at rest (VC, FEV1, ETT, SI), after exercise (PWC170), and after histamine inhalation. The authors believe that it is expedient to study bronchial hyperreactivity in patients with hay fever and rhinitis vasomotorica nonallergica in that it affords possibilities for the prevision of the conceivable unfavourable evolution of the disease towards the atopic or non-atopic bronchial asthma, as well as for the taking of adequate preventive and therapeutic measures.