Rethinking the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma

摘要

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is reported in up to 90% of patients with asthma. However, the body of literature reporting these estimates is confounded by varying diagnostic methods, the use of different measures and modes of challenges, and a relative lack of population-based sradies. Athlete and military cohorts dominate the epidemiologic data.The current standard criterion for diagnosis of EIB is a 10% or greater decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV_1) after exercise challenge; however, thresholds of 15% and 20% have also been suggested for greater diagnostic stringency. This variation in methods and populations may conspire to inflate the prevalence of EIB compared with that found in an urban US population.