Bronchial reactivity in children with cystic fibrosis and other recurrent or chronic bronchopulmonary diseases.

In our efforts to standardize the evaluation of bronchial reactivity we performed 
investigations into the threshold dosage of acetylcholine-induced bronchospasm in patients with 
various recurrent and chronic bronchopulmonary diseases. A significantly decreased threshold value 
of acetylcholine and thus an increased bronchial reactivity could be proven 
in patients with cystic fibrosis in comparison with healthy children. The 
cause of bronchial hyperreactivity in patients with CF may be due 
to proteases deriving from leucocytes of the purulent sputum. Furthermore, we 
investigated the influence of terbutaline on the bronchial obstruction induced by 
acetylcholine in patients with bronchial asthma and cystic fibrosis. The groups 
were comparable, especially with regard to the degree of the initial 
bronchial obstruction. 