[Bronchial asthma, elevated bronchial reactivity and physical loading].

The paper is concerned with a comparative study of the evidence of case histories, clinical symptomatology, external respiratory function and the effect of beta-adrenergic drugs in patients with bronchial asthma to define conditions contributing to the development of a bronchospasm caused by submaximum physical exertion. It was shown that submaximum physical exertion was followed by marked bronchial obstruction in 60% of patients. A degree of bronchospasm caused by physical exertion was in direct relation to a patient's age, the duration of disease and a period from the onset of disease. A submaximum exercise test was recommended for differential diagnosis of bronchial asthma and a degree of nonspecific raised bronchial reactivity.