Validity and repeatability of the IUATLD (1984) Bronchial Symptoms Questionnaire: an international comparison.

The International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) Bronchial Symptoms Questionnaire (1984) was developed for use in studies of asthma and its reliability measured in an earlier survey in England. The association of the symptoms elicited by this questionnaire to bronchial response to histamine has also been described. This paper presents the results of studies of the questionnaire in four clinical centres in Europe.

Behavioral factors in the etiology of asthma.

Evidence for the role of behavior in the etiology of asthma is reviewed here. Behavioral factors have not convincingly been shown to play a part in the inception of asthma. It has been suggested that asthma attacks can be precipitated by conditioning.

Safety and efficacy of alinidine in symptom-free asthmatics.

Alinidine is a new bradycardic agent which has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of coronary heart disease. Patients with both coronary heart disease and obstructive lung disease are difficult to treat, because the use of beta-blockers in them is greatly limited by their potential to provoke bronchospasm. Alinidine has no beta-blocking, muscarinic or quinidine-like properties.

Effect of diltiazem on methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction in extrinsic asthmatics.

The protective effect of the calcium antagonist diltiazem on methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction was investigated in 19 extrinsic asthmatics. A double-blind cross-over design was used (diltiazem vs. placebo, administered orally for 1 week).