Background: Wheeze and chest tightness has traditionally been associated with enhanced bronchial responsiveness. However, no community studies are available on the associations between bronchodilator response and respiratory symptoms among adults.
Aim: To examine how respiratory symptoms predict bronchodilator response.
Methods: An age and gender stratified random sample of all adults aged 47–48 and 71–73 years in Bergen, Norway, were invited. The 3506 participants (69%) filled in questionnaires including nine symptoms and performed bronchodilator reversibility tests. Subjects without current anti-asthmatic medication performing acceptable reversibility tests were included in the analyses .
Results: A reversibility with FEV1 increase 12% and 200 ml was obtained in 2% of middle-aged and 4% of elderly subjects . In multiple linear regression analysis bronchodilatation was positively associated with wheezing without cold (FEV1 increase of 1.5%, 95% CI: (0.9, 2.2)% in all participants and 31 ml, 95% CI: (1, 61) ml in men only) and dyspnoea climbing two flights of stairs (0.9%, 95% CI: and 12 ml, 95% CI: ). Chronic cough predicted the response negatively , 95% CI: and , 95% CI: . In multiple logistic regression analysis morning cough predicted an FEV1 increase 12% and 200 ml (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: ).
Conclusions: A small fraction of adults in a general population has bronchodilatation after salbutamol inhalation. “Wheezing without cold”, “dyspnoea climbing two flights of stairs”, and “morning cough” predict an increased bronchodilator response among subjects without current anti-asthmatic medications.