Allergy.  1994 Mar;14(1):34-41.

Clinical investigations of eosinophilic bronchitis

• Hong CS
• Nahm DH
• Kim TI

Abstract

The inflammatory reaction with increased numbers of eosinophils in the airways of bronchial asthma is closely associated with airway hyperreponsiveness. But the absence of airway hyperresponsiveness in patlens with cough and sputum eosinophilia has been observed in some patients. Eosinophilic bronchitis was recommended as useful term for these patients by Hargreave et al. We performed this study to investigate clinical features of eosinophilic bronchitis. Subjects were 19 outpatients visited since 1982, and they had cough mroe than 1 month, sputum eosinophilia(> 10%) and negative methacholine challenge test. In almost all cases, physical examination, pulmonary function test, and chest PA were normal, and eosinophil count in peripheral blood and total IgE were not significantly increased. But allergic skin prick test was positive in 65%(11/17) of cases, whose specific IgE was detected in 91% (10/11) of skin test positive cases. 95% (1819) of cases was improved, when they were treated with antiallergic drugs(sodium cromoglycate), bronchodilator, antihistamine, steroid and their combination. So we suggest that IgE related allergic inflarnmaton will be one of major pathophysiologic mechanisms in eosinophitic bronchitis.

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Bronchitis*
Cough
Eosinophilia
Eosinophils*
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Methacholine Chloride
Outpatients
Physical Examination
Respiratory Function Tests
Skin
Skin Tests
Sputum
Thorax
Immunoglobulin E
Methacholine Chloride