Two methacholine dosing schemes. Two methacholine dosing schemes. Methacholine may be administered in 9 doubling doses from 0.031 mg/mL up to 16 mg/mL or using a quadrupling scheme with 5 doses ranging from 0.625 mg/mL up to 16 mg/mL. A similar scheme can be used for histamine challenge. Not shown is an optional diluent step; normal saline or similar is administered before the first dose of methacholine and used to establish the target FEV1 for calculating a 20% decrease. Data are from Reference 30. Gregg L Ruppel Respir Care 2015;60:931-940 (c) 2012 by Daedalus Enterprises, Inc.