Lack of effect from a single cigarette challenge on bronchial responsiveness in healthy non-smoking subjects.

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Abstract
The effect of smoking a cigarette on bronchial responsiveness was studied in healthy nonsmokers. Twenty two subjects performed a methacholine inhalation test before and after smoking a single cigarette. Ten of the subjects took part in a further study in which propranolol was inhaled before the smoking challenge to diminish the baseline .beta. adrenergic tone of the airway. After they had smoked a single filtered or non-filtered cigarette the indices of bronchial responsiveness (the cumulative dose of methacholine starting a decrease in the reciprocal of resistance, Grs (Dmin), and the cumulative dose causing a 35% drop in the Grs (PD35Grs)) did not change significantly. With the inhalation of propranolol mean (SD) log Dmin decreased from 1.37 (0.44) units to 0.74 (0.57) (p < 0.01) and log PD35Grs from 1.93 (0.38) to 1.51 (0.38) (p < 0.01). Smoking a single cigarette after the inhalation of propranolol did not, however, cause any further change in bronchial responsiveness. This study suggests that smoking a single filtered or non-filtered cigarette does not change bronchial responsiveness in non-smokers, and that changes in .beta. adrenergic tone of the airway do not modify the effect of smoking a single cigarette on bronchial responsiveness.