Chest, Vol 94, 81-86, Copyright © 1988 by American College of Chest Physicians

ARTICLES

Effect of dry warm air on respiratory water loss in children with exercise-induced asthma

Z Tabka, A Ben Jebria, J Vergeret and H Guenard
Faculte de Medecine de Sousse, Tunisia.

The variation in respiratory water loss (RWL) over time, expressed as the mass of water vapor lost per liter (body temperature and pressure, saturated) of ventilation (MH2O), was investigated in two groups: (1) children with exercise-induced asthma; and (2) healthy children. Children were matched for age and sex and went without medication for at least 12 hours before each experiment. The children breathed dry warm air (TI = 28.4 degrees C +/- 0.3 degree C) for 15 minutes while bicycling at constant and moderate work load (50 W). The MH2O was measured by collecting and weighing the expired water vapor (1) at rest breathing in warm conditions of inspired gas (control values), (2) every five minutes during exercise while breathing dry warm air, and (3) four minutes after the end of exercise. Pulmonary function tests were performed before and six minutes after exercise. The results were abnormal only in children with exercise-induced asthma. During exercise, RWL significantly fell (compared to control value) at the tenth and 15th minute in both groups. Whereas normal subjects recovered their initial values for MH2O four minutes after stopping exercise, asthmatic children still had a reduction in respiratory water loss. During exercise, MH2O decreased a little more in healthy than in asthmatic children. The decrease in MH2O in both groups suggests that the means to fully humidify expired gas are overwhelmed by thermal stress. The lack of increase in MH2O in asthmatic children on stopping exercise suggests that the airway mucosa is unable to produce enough water vapor and is thus dehydrated and probably hyperosmotic.