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Objective: To investigate the bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) and pulmonary function in patients suffering from endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB), and therefore to provide clues for early and correct diagnosis of EBTB., Methods: Twenty-four patients with EBTB, proved by fiberoptic bronchoscopy, chest computerized tomography and biopsy, received measurements of pulmonary ventilatory function, airway resistance (Raw), and bronchial responsiveness test. The results were analyzed by t test and correlations., Results: As many as 41.7% of the patients with EBTB were found to have BHR, which had never been recognized before. The patients with EBTB usually had severe cough (100%, 24/24), shortness of breath (54%, 13/24), and wheezing, but bloody sputum was found in only 21% (5/24), and so the patients tended to be misdiagnosed as having asthma, especially cough variant asthma. FEV(1%) in the group of EBTB with BHR was significantly higher than that in the group of EBTB without BHR (t = 2.345, P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference of FEV(1)/FVC%, MMEF%, V(75%) and Raw between the two groups. In the group of EBTB with BHR, FEV(1%) showed a negative correlation with BHR (r = -0.61, P < 0.05), but there was no remarkable correlation between the other pulmonary function parameters with BHR., Conclusion: BHR is present in a considerable number of patients with EBTB, and therefore attention should be paid to the differential diagnosis of EBTB and cough variant asthma.

This paper analyzes the actual values of FEV1 and MBC in 240 normal subjects, 147 patients with COPD and 85 cases of cancer tumors, and shows that the actual values of MBC in both COPD patients and cancerous cases are much lower than the calculated values from FEV1. The authors believe that the ratio between the actual values of MBC and its calculated values may be used to reflect the strengths or abilities of the respiratory muscles efforted, called "Effort Index". The formula of MBC calculated from FEV1 is based on the linear regression equation formulated from the actual values of FEV1 and MBC in 240 normal subjects (aged 16-80 yrs). The "Effort Index" is equal to the actual value of MBC/the calculated value of MBC. The "Effort Index" in 240 normal subjects is 1.00 +/- 0.14 (M +/- SD), in mild, moderate and severe cases of COPD being 0.907, 0.807 and 0.626 respectively, and in markedly wasted cancer cases, 0.861 +/- 0.130. The results show that the formula of MBC calculated from FEV1 is useful only for the subjects with normal respiratory muscular abilities; while in COPD patients and markedly emaciated cancerous cases, owing to the chronically tired-out or exhausted respiratory muscular strength, the actual values of MBC are actually lower than those calculated from FEV1, hence the decreased "Effort Index".