Complement changes during exercise‐induced asthma

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Abstract
Two groups of asthmatic children, 1 with and 1 without a history of post-exercise wheezing, and 1 non-asthmatic adult, were exercised on a treadmill and their complement [C] levels were measured before and after exercise. The 1st group of patients had the most obvious fall in FEV1 [forced expiratory volume in 1 s] and all showed a slight rise in hemolytic C following exercise. Two of the patients of the the 2nd group also had a rise in hemolytic C. The C4 titer did not change in any of the asthmatic children who did not wheeze after exercise, but there were changes, albeit inconsistent, in the titers of C4 in 4 of the 6 patients who exhibited post-exercise wheezing. C3 breakdown products were not detected in any of the sera following exercise. The role of C in exercise-induced bronchospasm is not clear, but there may be a greater lability of the C system in patients who are susceptible to this form of provocation.