Abstract
With the exception of allergen inhalation, current bronchial provocation tests do not elicit a reaction identical to an asthmatic attack because the first stage of the latter — degranulation of mast cells — does not occur. In order to detect bronchial hyperreactivity and to determine the role of mast cells, polymyxin B — a histamine releasing agent — was administered by inhalation to 49 asthmatic patients and the resulting bronchospasm compared with that induced by histamine and exercise. Inhalation of disodium cromoglycate (Intal®) inhibited the response to polymyxin B. Polymyxin B probably acts on mast cells in lung tissue. Inhalation of polymyxin B appears to be useful as a method for detection of bronchial hyperreactivity.
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Rozniecki, J., Gorski, P. Inhalation of polymyxin B as a bronchial provocation method. Lung 154, 283–288 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02713544
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02713544