Which test assesses exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in children?

Which test assesses exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in children?

• A. Peak expiratory flow rate measurement at rest
• B. Exercise challenge with spirometry before and after exercise
• C. Skin prick testing for allergies
• D. Chest radiograph after exercise

Answer: (B)

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction shows up when activity triggers narrowing of the airways, and the fastest way to prove it is to measure how the lungs respond to exercise. An exercise challenge with spirometry before and after exercise directly tests this: you get a baseline lung function, have the child perform standardized exercise, and then measure again. A post-exercise drop in FEV1 that’s clearly greater than baseline—usually around 10–12% (and often an absolute drop of a few hundred milliliters in children)—confirms the airway reacts to exercise. This approach is the most informative because it demonstrates the functional change caused by exercise, rather than just static airway status. Measuring peak expiratory flow at rest only shows baseline function, skin tests reveal allergic sensitivity, and chest X-ray after exercise doesn’t assess dynamic airway narrowing, so they don’t diagnose EIB.

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction shows up when activity triggers narrowing of the airways, and the fastest way to prove it is to measure how the lungs respond to exercise. An exercise challenge with spirometry before and after exercise directly tests this: you get a baseline lung function, have the child perform standardized exercise, and then measure again. A post-exercise drop in FEV1 that’s clearly greater than baseline—usually around 10–12% (and often an absolute drop of a few hundred milliliters in children)—confirms the airway reacts to exercise.

This approach is the most informative because it demonstrates the functional change caused by exercise, rather than just static airway status. Measuring peak expiratory flow at rest only shows baseline function, skin tests reveal allergic sensitivity, and chest X-ray after exercise doesn’t assess dynamic airway narrowing, so they don’t diagnose EIB.