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Bronchoconstriction Reflex in Bronchial Asthma

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Abstract

Our results suggest a presumably predominant role of the parasympathetic nervous system in the mechanism of human bronchial asthma. Bronchial reaction of the immediate type, induced by a specific antigen in allergic patients, can be partially but significantly prevented by a previous parasympathetic efferent blockade. The protective effect of vagus blockade was nearly complete in 14 out of 22 persons, the increase of airway flow resistance after antigen stimuli did not exceed 15%. If the vagus blockade was performed after the antigen stimulus — during the induced bronchospasm — the broncholytic effect was markedly weaker. The broncholytic effect of selective beta-2-adrenergic stimulation proved to be faster and stronger in antigen -induced bronchospasm. Vagus blockade performed by Atrovent® prior to bronchospasm induced by histamine shows a very weak protective effect.

In spite of the few experimental results an inverse correlation could be observed between the extent of the protective effect, and the extent of bronchospasm induced by histamine.

Zusammenfassung

Unsere Untersuchungsergebnisse weisen darauf hin, daß das parasympathische Nervensystem annehmbar eine prädominante Rolle beim menschlichen Asthma spielt. Bei allergischen Personen ist die mit spezifischem Antigen induzierte “immediate” Bronchialreaktion mittels vorhergehender parasympathischer Efferentblockade teilweise, jedoch signifikant abzuwehren. Von den 22 Personen war bei 14 eine fast vollkommene Schutzwirkung der Vagusblockade vorhanden, die Erhöhung des Strömungswiderstandes übertraf nach Antigenreizung nicht 15%. Wenn die Vagusblockade erst nach der Antigenreizung verwendet wird, d. h. die Bronchokonstriktion schon vorhergehend induziert wurde, wird der broncholytische Effekt wesentlich schwächer sein. Die broncholytische Wirkung der beta-2-Rezeptorenreizung erwies sich als schneller und stärker bei dem mit Antigen ausgelösten Bronchialspasmus. Bei mit Histamin induzierter Bronchokonstriktion war bei der vorhergehend verabfolgten Vagusblockade — zumindest bei den hier verwendeten Atrovent®-Dosen — eine verhältnismäßig geringe Schutzwirkung zu beobachten. Trotz der verhältnismäßig geringen Zahl der Untersuchungen steht der Grad der Schutzwirkung anscheinend im umgekehrten Verhältnis zu dem mit Histamin induzierten Grad des Bronchialspasmus.

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© 1976 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Vastag, E., Vass, K., Nagy, L. (1976). Bronchoconstriction Reflex in Bronchial Asthma. In: Ulmer, W.T. (eds) Leistungsbegrenzung von seiten der Lunge. Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Lungen- und Atmungsforschung. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-25411-0_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-25411-0_30

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-23364-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-25411-0

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