Bronchial response to methacholine in "healthy" children of asthmatic parents. Effect of treatment with cromolyn sodium.

Cumulative dose response curves to inhaled methacholine were established in 24 "healthy" children of asthmatic parents and 7 healthy children of healthy parents. Atopic children of asthmatic parents demonstrated higher bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) than nonatopic children. The BHR was about ten times less than in the atopic parents of asthmatic children, indicating marked increase in BHR with age in atopic members of asthmatic families. Six weeks of treatment with cromolyn sodium (disodium cromoglycate) decreased BHR significantly (p less than 0.05) in eight atopic children, while no change occurred in BHR in five nonatopic children.