THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF AIRWAYS RESPONSIVENESS

吸烟被认为是导致吸烟的最重要因素。 慢性气流阻塞的发展，但只有少数 吸烟者会患上临床疾病。最近，人们对此很感兴趣 重点关注了呼吸道反应性和特应性水平提高的作用 作为慢性气流发展的可能增强因素 障碍物。目前的流行病学研究只有其中一项的数据 潜在的风险因素或太小，无法充分解决这些问题 牵涉其中。本研究将评估两家航空公司的反应性。 (通过吸入乙酰甲胆碱的反应来衡量)和特应性(通过 皮肤试验、血液嗜酸性粒细胞和血清IgE)的现有队列 成年雄性。 这项研究使用了退伍军人事务部标准老龄化研究的人口和数据库 (NAS)，始于1963年。人口由1900多名男子组成。 最初是为了身体健康而选择的。NAS目前管理着 吸烟史、NBLBI-ATS呼吸道症状 问卷调查和定期检查的肺活量测定，3年 分开。我们将评估800名参与者的呼吸道反应性和过敏性。 当他们回来参加接下来的两次考试时。将使用这些数据 探讨呼吸道反应性、特应性和吸烟的关系 吸烟对呼吸道症状和肺功能的影响 横截面和纵向。 这项拟议的研究将是唯一一项同时拥有这两项数据的调查 航空公司对相当大的一组受试者的反应和过敏性。一个 对这两个潜在风险因素的前瞻性评估，以及 吸烟，将确立这些疾病的相对重要性 慢性气流阻塞产生的变数。

Cigarette smoking is recognized as the most important factor in the development of chronic airflow obstruction, yet only a minority of cigarette smokers develop clinical disease. Recently, interest has been focused on the role of increased levels of airways responsiveness and atopy as possible potentiating factors for the development of chronic airflow obstruction. Current epidemiologic studies have data on only one of these potential risk factors or are too small to adequately address the issues involved. The present study will assess both airways responsiveness (measured by response to methacholine inhalation) and atopy (measured by skin test, blood eosinophilia, and Serum IgE) in an existing cohort of adult males. The study uses the population and data base of the VA Normative Aging Study (NAS) which was begun in 1963. The population consists of over 1900 men originally selected for good health. The NAS currently administers a cigarette smoking history, the NBLBI-ATS respiratory symptoms questionnaire, and spirometry at regularly scheduled examinations, 3 years apart. We will assess airways responsiveness and atopy in 800 participants when they return for their next two examinations. These data will be used to examine the relationship of airways responsiveness, atopy and cigarette smoking to respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The proposed study would be the only investigation to have data on both airways responsiveness and atopy on a sizeable cohort of subjects. A prospective evaluation of these two potential risk factors, along with cigarette smoking, would establish the relative importance of these variables in the production of chronic airflow obstruction.