[Variations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentration in the lung of asthmatic patients]. / Variazioni del peptide intestinale vasoattivo (VIP) nel passaggio attraverso il polmone nella malattia asmatica.

The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations in the pulmonary and systemic arterial blood were evaluated in 11 asthmatic patients in symptom-free period and during methacholin induced broncospasm. The basal venous and arterial mean values do not significantly differ. A significant difference was observed after bronchial challenge. This could be caused by an increased VIP pulmonary production as a defensive mechanism. No correlation was found between bronchial reactivity (as PD20-FEV1 Methacholin) and VIP concentrations.