Differing patterns of pulmonary function response to bronchodilators in asthmatics.

An analysis of the patterns of pulmonary function response to bronchodilators in 20 adult asthmatics reveal distinct categories of response. It is suggested that the pattern of response is related primarily to the degree of baseline abnormality in pulmonary function rather than to other characteristics of the disease or patient. Thus, one may predict pulmonary function response to bronchodilators in adult asthmatics based solely upon baseline function.