due to low recruitment rate secondary to very stringent inclusion criteria

The purpose of this study is to estimate the sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of a positive Aridol challenge with respect to a specialist pulmonologist diagnosis of asthma in corticosteroid naive subjects with asthma-like symptoms and no previous diagnosis of asthma. The comparator is methacholine provocation

Inclusion Criteria:

• Informed consent
• Provisional or possible asthma diagnosis
• FEV1 at least 70% of predicted at inclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

• Contraindications for bronchial provocation challenge or spirometry
• Respiratory tract infection within previous 6 weeks
• Significant co-morbidity
• > 10 pack year smoking history
• Other lung diseases
• Pregnancy, lactation

Patients with a tentative diagnosis of asthma or suspected asthma referred to a pulmonologist for evaluation