A 12 year-old boy develops intermittent shoness of breath over the past 6 months. He is not on any medications and has no significant family history. The vitals are within normal limits and the lungs are clear to auscultation. Lung function tests reveal a FEV1/FVC ratio of 82%. Which of the following would be most helpful in excluding a diagnosis of asthma in this patient?
Absence of peripheral blood eosinophilia Negative allergy skin tests Negative methacholine challenge Normal total serum IgE level