[Pulmonary metabolism of beta-endorphin in asthmatic patients in asymptomatic periods and after bronchospasm induced by methacholine].

Blood concentration of endogenous beta-endorphines can change during the clinical evolution of chronic bronchopneumopathies. The authors assessed the beta-endorphine concentrations in the pulmonary arterial and systemic arterial blood in 8 asthmatic patients during a symptom-free period and after methacholine-induced bronchospasm. The beta-endorphine analysis was performed in duplicate dor each sample, by means of a RIA assay. There is not difference in the systemic arterial blood concentration of beta-endorphines between asthmatic patients and normal subjects. Furthermore, there is no change in the beta-endorphine blood concentration during the passage through the pulmonary tissue after methacoline-induced bronchospasm.