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Some previously published studies have suggested that an irritating cough associated with acute bronchitis may be caused by bronchospasm. To determine the association between acute bronchitis and pulmonary airflow obstruction, investigators assessed pulmonary function and followed the resolution of symptoms in 27 non-asthmatic adult patients.
Differences between initial and final lung function tests were significant. Two subgroups of patients were identified: 11 patients whose initial forced expiratory volumes were abnormal (less than 80 percent of predicted), and 16 patients whose initial volumes were normal (greater than 80 percent of predicted). The changes observed over the 5-week study period were particularly evident in patients whose …