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James R. Myers, MD; William M. Corrao, MD; Sidney S. Braman, MD

JAMA. 1981;246(3):225-229.

Abstract
Cough, dyspnea, and chest pain are symptoms common to many cardiopulmonary diseases. A comprehensive evaluation, including a history, physical examination, ECG, chest roentgenogram, and pulmonary function studies, will often yield a specific diagnosis. However, when these symptoms are intermittent, as they often are in patients with bronchial asthma, the diagnosis may not be apparent. If asthma is thought to be a diagnostic possibility, a bronchial inhalation challenge should be used to demonstrate bronchial hyperreactivity, the hallmark of asthma. The methacholine chloride inhalation challenge is a simple and useful laboratory test to diagnose bronchial hyperreactivity. We describe eight patients with a variety of clinical symptoms to demonstrate the usefulness of this test. Patients with unexplained respiratory symptoms should be considered for bronchial inhalation challenge before proceeding to more invasive diagnostic procedures.

(JAMA 1981;246:225-229)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital (Drs Corrao and Braman) and the Veterans Administration Medical Center (Dr Myers), and the Division of Biological and Medical Sciences, Brown University (Drs Myers, Corrao, and Braman), Providence, RI.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Davis Park, Providence, RI 02908 (Dr Myers).

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