ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study was preformed to demonstrate the improvement of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function parameters after albuterol inhalation in asthmatic bronchitis using pneumotachography. METHODS: Fifteen asthmatic bronchitis patients admitted to Ewha Womans University Hospital from September in 1998 to July in 1999 were enrolled in this study. Clinical symptoms and pulmonary function parameters including respiratory rate, heart rate, inspiratory tidal volume(Vi), expiratory tidal volume(Ve), peak tidal expiratory flow(PTEF), tidal expiratory flow at 25% of tidal volume(TEF25), mid-expiratory flow(MEF) and mid-inspiratory flow(MIF), compliance, and pulmonary resistance were evaluated by clinical symptom score and pneumotachography before and after albuterol inhalation treatment. RESULTS: The clinical score was decreased significantly after treatment, but heart rate did not show a significant difference. By flow-volume curve, Ve were 7.39+/-2.11 mL/kg, 9.39+/-3.20 mL/kg, and Vi were 7.44+/-2.08 mL/kg, 9.46+/-3.26 mL/kg, and PTEF were 130.1+/-82.1 mL/kg, 123.1+/-64.8 mL/kg before and after treatment, respectively. All the pulmonary function parameters showed no significant differences before and after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical symptoms were improved after albuterol inhalation treatment in asthmatic bronchitis, but pulmonary function was not recovered after a short-term treatment.