[Effect of bronchial reactivity on the whole-body plethysmographic inhomogeneity parameter REmax/RE0 and its value in the early diagnosis of chronic nonspecific lung diseases].

Examinations performed with the help of the body-plethysmographic inhomogeneity parameter REmax/RE0 prove the close connection between the development of chronic unspecific pulmonary diseases and the appearance of disturbances of the ventilatory distribution. The functional disturbance metioned is further increased by the bronchial provocation and may partly be demonstrated in a characteristic way also in inconspicuous initial findings. The body-plethysmographic inhomogeneity parameter REmax/RE0 is, however, not suited for the early diagnosis of chronic unspecific pulmonary diseases, since with its help the verification of disturbances of the ventilatory distribution is successful only then, when the total resistance is already increased. For the final judgment of the aptitude of the bronchial reactivity test for the increase of the valency of methods of the distribution analysis in the early diagnosis further examinations are necessary.