Relationship of wheezing to airflow obstruction in asthmatic children and a history of cough-variant asthma.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of wheezing to airflow obstruction during acute episodes of asthma in patients who had CVA (Cough variant asthma). Two groups of asthmatic children, one group with a past history of CVA (n = 13) and the other group without such a history (n = 14), were followed longitudinally for 12 months. During that time, they were evaluated for the presence of wheezing and the severity of airflow obstruction during acute episodes of asthma. Significant airflow obstruction occurred free of wheezing more frequently and the presence of clinical wheezing was associated with more severe airflow limitation, in asthmatic patients with a past history of CVA than in those without such a history. We conclude that asthmatic patients who have experienced CVA develop the wheezing symptom at a higher level of airflow obstruction.