Taniguchi H, Nakanishi Y, Tsuda T, et al. - Researchers examined 7 patients with chest tightness relieved with the use of asthma drugs except bronchodilators (CTRAEB) in order to determine the clinical characteristics of these patients, and then they compared these with data from patients with chest tightness relieved with bronchodilator use (CTRB) (n = 13). For comparison, they recruited 10 healthy individuals, 11 bronchial biopsy control patients, and 10 asthmatic patients. In patients with CTRB and in those with CTRAEB, a rise in the forced expiratory volume in one second by 5.1% ± 4.0% and by 1.3% ± 3.5% was observed, respectively, in relation to inhalation of a short-acting ß₂-agonist, and the difference was statistically significant. Significant increases in T cells were seen on bronchial biopsy specimens from the patients with CTRB and CTRAEB vs those of the controls. Only a minor portion of patients with CTRB and CTRAEB exhibited increased bronchial responsiveness to methacholine. Experts formulated a hypothesis, based on the findings, according to which inflammation alone is responsible for chest tightness involved in the clinical condition of patients with CTRAEB, and this chest tightness is mostly related to airway T cells, without constriction of the airways. Apart from the response to bronchodilator treatment, there is little to differentiate CTRAEB from CTRB.