Voice reactions to histamine inhalation in asthma

Susceptibility to voice reactions during a histamine provocation test was studied in 21 asthmatics and 21 healthy subjects. Speech samples were recorded before, and 5 and 15 min after histamine inhalation, and the samples were rated by six speech pathologists. Deterioration of voice quality occurred in 2/12 asthmatic men and in 3/9 asthmatic women within 5 min after histamine inhalation; no change was observed between 5 and 15 min. Voice reactions were not related to the degree of bronchial obstruction: the subjects with the most pronounced decrease in peak expiratory flow (PEF) (60–61% in three subjects) did not develop voice reactions, and PEF did not decrease in one subject with voice reactions. No voice reactions were observed in the healthy subjects.