Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1988 Nov;43(11):890–895. doi: 10.1136/thx.43.11.890

The nasal response to exercise and exercise induced bronchoconstriction in normal and asthmatic subjects.

K P Strohl 1, M J Decker 1, L G Olson 1, T A Flak 1, P L Hoekje 1
PMCID: PMC461549  PMID: 3222760

Abstract

Two studies were carried out to test the hypothesis that the fall and recovery of nasal resistance after exercise in asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects are related to the development of bronchoconstriction after exercise. In study 1 nasal resistance (posterior rhinomanometry) and specific airway resistance (sRaw) were measured before challenge and one, five, 10 and 30 minutes after four minutes of exhausting legwork exercise in nine asthmatic subjects and nine age matched healthy subjects. One minute after exercise there was a reduction in nasal resistance of 49% (SD 15%) from baseline in the healthy subjects and of 66% (17%) in the asthmatic subjects. This response and the subsequent return of nasal resistance to baseline values did not differ significantly between the two groups despite a substantial difference in the change in sRaw, an increase of 74% (45%) in the asthmatic subjects 10 minutes after exercise, and no change in the non-asthmatic subjects. In study 2, nasal and specific airway resistances were monitored according to the same measurement protocol in six subjects with increased airway reactivity. Subjects exercised on two occasions, wearing a noseclip, once while breathing cold, dry air and once while breathing warm, humid air. The fall in nasal resistance was similar under both conditions (to 47% and 39% of baseline), through sRaw rose only after cold air inhalation (to 172% of baseline). The results indicate that the nasal response to exercise is not related to bronchial obstruction in asthmatic subjects after exercise or to the temperature or humidity of the air inspired through the mouth during exercise.

Full text

PDF
890

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anderson S. D. Recent advances in the understanding of exercise-induced asthma. Eur J Respir Dis Suppl. 1983;128(Pt 1):225–236. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barnes P. J., Dollery C. T., MacDermot J. Increased pulmonary alpha-adrenergic and reduced beta-adrenergic receptors in experimental asthma. Nature. 1980 Jun 19;285(5766):569–571. doi: 10.1038/285569a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Eccles K. S., Eccles R. Nasal vasodilation induced by electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve. Rhinology. 1982 Jun;20(2):89–92. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kaliner M., Shelhamer J. H., Davis P. B., Smith L. J., Venter J. C. Autonomic nervous system abnormalities and allergy. Ann Intern Med. 1982 Mar;96(3):349–357. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-96-3-349. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Knudson R. J., Slatin R. C., Lebowitz M. D., Burrows B. The maximal expiratory flow-volume curve. Normal standards, variability, and effects of age. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1976 May;113(5):587–600. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1976.113.5.587. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. McFadden E. R., Jr, Ingram R. H., Jr Exercise-induced airway obstruction. Annu Rev Physiol. 1983;45:453–463. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ph.45.030183.002321. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. McFadden E. R., Jr, Lenner K. A., Strohl K. P. Postexertional airway rewarming and thermally induced asthma. New insights into pathophysiology and possible pathogenesis. J Clin Invest. 1986 Jul;78(1):18–25. doi: 10.1172/JCI112549. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Niinimaa V., Cole P., Mintz S., Shephard R. J. The switching point from nasal to oronasal breathing. Respir Physiol. 1980 Oct;42(1):61–71. doi: 10.1016/0034-5687(80)90104-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Olson L. G., Strohl K. P. The response of the nasal airway to exercise. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1987 Feb;135(2):356–359. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1987.135.2.356. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Richerson H. B., Seebohm P. M. Nasal airway response to exercise. J Allergy. 1968 May;41(5):269–284. doi: 10.1016/0021-8707(68)90032-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Syabbalo N. C., Bundgaard A., Widdicombe J. G. Effects of exercise on nasal airflow resistance in healthy subjects and in patients with asthma and rhinitis. Bull Eur Physiopathol Respir. 1985 Nov-Dec;21(6):507–513. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Takagi Y., Proctor D. F., Salman S., Evering S. Effects of cold air and carbon dioxide on nasal air flow resistance. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1969 Feb;78(1):40–48. doi: 10.1177/000348946907800104. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES