The nurse is listening to the breath sounds of a patient with severe asthma. Air passing through narrowed bronchioles would produce which of these adventitious sounds?

Choice A reason: Bronchophony is a voice sound test, not an adventitious breath sound, and is unrelated to narrowed bronchioles in asthma. Wheezes are caused by air through constricted airways, making this incorrect for the described sound. Choice B reason: Rhonchi are low-pitched sounds from mucus in larger airways, not typical in acute asthma’s narrowed bronchioles. Wheezes, high-pitched sounds from constriction, are characteristic, so this is not the correct adventitious sound. Choice C reason: Wheezes are high-pitched, musical sounds produced by air passing through narrowed bronchioles, common in severe asthma due to bronchoconstriction. This matches the patient’s condition, making it the correct adventitious sound to expect. Choice D reason: Crackles are fine or coarse sounds from fluid in alveoli, typical in conditions like pneumonia, not asthma’s airway narrowing. Wheezes are asthma-specific, so this is incorrect for the expected breath sound.