IS NONALLERGIC BRONCHIAL HYPERRESPONSIVEN ESS A GOOD DIAGNOSIS TEST FOR ASTHMA

The measurement of non-allergic bronchial hyperreactivity brings limit ed information in the diagnosis of asthma, whether for epidemiological purposes or for an individual patient. Its sensitivity and specificit y in the general population amount to 46 and 89% respectively. It foll ows that the positive and negative predictive values are of little use when the prevalence of asthma lies between 1 and 10%. The situation i s different, more complex, but not necessarily more favorable when one deals with one given patient. The characteristics of the test may var y as a function of the severity of the disease (concept of spectrum bi as). Furthermore, the differential diagnosis will be made for other di seases that can also be associated with bronchial hyperreactivity. The negative and positive predictive values of this test will therefore b e sufficiently informative only when the diagnosis is already certain.