Bronchial hyperresponsiveness can lead to which of the following?

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness refers to an exaggerated airway response to various stimuli, such as allergens, irritants, or exercise. When the airways are hyperresponsive, they can constrict more than normal in response to these triggers, leading to bronchospasm. This bronchospasm is characterized by the tightening of the smooth muscles around the bronchi, resulting in narrowed air passages. Consequently, this can cause difficulty in breathing and contribute to air trapping, where air becomes trapped in the lungs due to obstructed airflow during exhalation. This combination of bronchospasm and air trapping is a hallmark of asthma and is directly linked to bronchial hyperresponsiveness.

In contrast, increased lung compliance, lung fibrosis, and pulmonary edema do not directly result from bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Increased lung compliance typically refers to the ease with which the lungs can expand, which is not a feature of bronchial hyperresponsiveness, as it often leads to reduced compliance due to airway obstruction. Lung fibrosis involves the thickening and scarring of lung tissue, which is a separate pathological process not directly caused by bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Pulmonary edema refers to fluid accumulation in the lungs and again does not arise from abnormal airway reactivity but is commonly associated with