Biomaterial Database

Parasympathetic nervous system in nocturnal asthma. 1988

J F Morrison, and S B Pearson, and H G Dean

Pulmonary Function Laboratory, Killingbeck Hospital, Leeds.

To investigate the effect of vagal blockade with atropine on nocturnal fall in peak expiratory flow rate 10 patients with asthma who had a diurnal variation in peak expiratory flow rate of greater than 20% were given 30 micrograms/kg of intravenous atropine or a placebo at 4 am and 4 pm. Vagal blockade caused significant bronchodilatation at 4 am and 4 pm (peak expiratory flow rate rose from 260 to 390 l/min at 4 am and 400 to 440 l/min at 4 pm) and significantly increased the pulse rate from 60 to 121 beats/minute at 4 am and from 76 to 122 beats/minute at 4 pm. Nocturnal asthma was almost totally reversed, implying that vagal mechanisms are fundamental in its pathophysiology. Other mechanisms--diurnal changes in plasma adrenaline concentration, the activity of non-adrenergic non-cholinergic nerves, and circadian rhythms of inflammatory mediator activity--may also be implicated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010366	Peak Expiratory Flow Rate	Measurement of the maximum rate of airflow attained during a FORCED VITAL CAPACITY determination. Common abbreviations are PEFR and PFR.	Expiratory Peak Flow Rate,Flow Rate, Peak Expiratory,PEFR
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D001249	Asthma	A form of bronchial disorder with three distinct components: airway hyper-responsiveness (RESPIRATORY HYPERSENSITIVITY), airway INFLAMMATION, and intermittent AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION. It is characterized by spasmodic contraction of airway smooth muscle, WHEEZING, and dyspnea (DYSPNEA, PAROXYSMAL).	Asthma, Bronchial,Bronchial Asthma,Asthmas
D001285	Atropine	An alkaloid, originally from Atropa belladonna, but found in other plants, mainly SOLANACEAE. Hyoscyamine is the 3(S)-endo isomer of atropine.	AtroPen,Atropin Augenöl,Atropine Sulfate,Atropine Sulfate Anhydrous,Atropinol,Anhydrous, Atropine Sulfate,Augenöl, Atropin,Sulfate Anhydrous, Atropine,Sulfate, Atropine
D014630	Vagus Nerve	The 10th cranial nerve. The vagus is a mixed nerve which contains somatic afferents (from skin in back of the ear and the external auditory meatus), visceral afferents (from the pharynx, larynx, thorax, and abdomen), parasympathetic efferents (to the thorax and abdomen), and efferents to striated muscle (of the larynx and pharynx).	Cranial Nerve X,Pneumogastric Nerve,Tenth Cranial Nerve,Nerve X,Nervus Vagus,Cranial Nerve, Tenth,Cranial Nerves, Tenth,Nerve X, Cranial,Nerve Xs,Nerve, Pneumogastric,Nerve, Tenth Cranial,Nerve, Vagus,Nerves, Pneumogastric,Nerves, Tenth Cranial,Nerves, Vagus,Pneumogastric Nerves,Tenth Cranial Nerves,Vagus Nerves,Vagus, Nervus