Objective measurements for diagnosis of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

Abstract

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is defined as the transient increase in airway resistance resulting from bronchial obstruction that occurs after physical exertion. It is a very frequent clinical entity that must be correctly diagnosed in order to prevent the bronchoconstrictive response to the exercise, so that it does not restrict the choice of a physical activity or limits the sports performance. The clinical history can be extremely suggestive, however, both overdiagnosis of asthma and underdiagno-sis of EIB are frequent. Therefore, and due to the importance of an exact diagnosis, this article intends to present the complementary exams in the diagnosis of EIB, addressing its usefulness and applicability.