Factors associated with clinical severity determined by requirement for systemic corticosteroid therapy in adult asthmatic patients.
- Author:
Keu Sung LEE
1
;
Jung Hee CHOI
;
Tae Young CHOI
;
Hong Seok LIM
;
Il Hyun CHO
;
Seung Soo SIN
;
Yu Jin SUH
;
Young Mok LEE
;
Dong Ho NAHM
;
Hae Sim PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. dhnahm@madang.ajou.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Bronchial asthma;
Severity;
Steroid;
Atopy;
Pulmonary function
- MeSH:
Adult*;
Asthma;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin E;
Immunotherapy;
Prevalence;
Retrospective Studies
- From:Journal of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology
2001;21(6):1169-1178
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Most studies involving factor analysis on clinical severity of bronchial asthma are short-term and cross-sectional. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the clinical severity of bronchial asthma according to requirement of systemic corticosteroid therapy, and analyzed the factors associated with long-term systemic corticosteroid therapy. METHODS: The records of 158 asthmatic patients (including 76 patients followed for one year) visiting the clinic of Allergy-Immunology of Ajou University Hospital between June, 1997 and May, 1999 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among the 76 asthmatic patients who had been followed-up for one year, asthmatic patients (n=28) treated with systemic corticosteroid for more than 60 days had lower initial FEV1(% predicted) values (p=0.001), lower prevalence of concomitant allergic diseases (p= 0.04), and lower frequency of allergen-specific immunotherapy (p=0.006) than asthmatic patients treated with systemic corticosteroid for less than 60 days (n=48). Among the 158 asthmatic patients, 87 patients (55%) were atopic asthmatics and 71 patients (45%) were nonatopic asthmatics. Nonatopic asthmatics showed older age at initial visit (p<0.001), lower serum total IgE levels (p=0.02), lower prevalence of concomitant allergic diseases (p=0.004), and higher prevalence of aspirin-sensitivity (p<0.001) than atopic asthmatic patients. Among the 76 patients followed for one year, nonatopic asthmatic patients were treated with significantly higher cumulative-doses of systemic steroid than atopic asthmatic patients (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Initial pulmonary function and nonatopy are significantly associated with clinical severity determined by requirement of systemic corticosteroid therapy in adult asthmatic patients.
