Reversibility of airways obstruction in bronchiectasis

Abstract

Patients with airways obstruction and bronchiectasis were investigated for features of allergic disease and for reversibility of airways obstruction in response to inhaled and intravenous salbutamol. There was a 26% increase in PEFR and a 16% increase in FEV1 after inhaled salbutamol, and the response to the intravenous drug was not significantly better than that to the inhaled. Those patients who responded to bronchodilators could not be identified by clinical or immunological features.