RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Respiratory epithelial permeability is unrelated to bronchial reactivity and small airway function in young smokers and nonsmokers
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 319
OP 323
DO 10.1183/09031936.93.01040319
VO 1
IS 4
A1 Taylor, RG
A1 Agnew, JE
A1 Francis, RA
A1 Pavia, D
A1 Clarke, SW
YR 1988
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/4/319.abstract
AB We studied eight young smokers and ten nonsmokers, to determine whether respiratory epithelial permeability to radiolabelled diethylenetriamine penta-acetate (99mTcDTPA) was related to small airway function or bronchial reactivity. Permeability was measured in inner (containing central airways) and outer lung zones by gamma camera. Lung-to-blood half-time (LB-T1/2) was corrected for blood background. Histamine was inhaled tidally (2 min inhalations) using doubling concentrations from 2 to 64 mg.ml-1. Results of small airway function tests, and of bronchial reactivity (expressed as the threshold concentration (reducing forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) by 2 SD), and as the percentage reduction in FEV1 after histamine 16 mg.ml-1) were similar in smokers and nonsmokers. LB-T1/2 was shorter in smokers than in nonsmokers in both inner (median (range) 21 (5.5-33) vs 63.5 (41-115) min; p less than 0.004) and outer (20.5 (5.5-30) vs 58.5 (39-105) min; p less than 0.004) zones. Neither inner nor outer zone LB-T1/2 was related to small airway function or bronchial reactivity. Bronchial reactivity and small airway tests may be abnormal in middle-aged smokers, but neither is related to the increased respiratory epithelial permeability of young smokers, in whom it appears too sensitive an index of airway integrity.