BACKGROUND: Studies of longitudinal changes in severity and the long-term outcome of asthma in epidemiological settings are uncommon. AIM: To assess the outcome of incident asthma in a cohort of subjects who developed asthma after the age of 20 years. METHODS: This is a prospective study of the outcome of 309 subjects with incident asthma being included in a case-referent study based on all adults aged 20-60 years living in three municipalities/towns in Northern Sweden. The subjects fulfilled the criteria for incident asthma defined as onset of symptoms common in asthma within 12 months prior to the study and a verified bronchial variability. In 2003, 250 (81%) of the subjects with asthma were re-examined with structured interview, lung-function test and methacholine test. RESULTS: At follow-up, 237 (95%) subjects still had an active asthma, i.e. they had symptoms or used asthma medicines. Among those with active asthma, 65% were using inhaled cortico-steroids. Severity grading (GINA 2000) showed that 21% had mild intermittent asthma, 30% mild persistent, 44% moderate persistent, and 5% severe asthma, contrasting to 75% with moderate or severe asthma at entry. Higher age, higher BMI and low lung function were associated with greater asthma severity. Twelve subjects (5%) were in remission. Predictors for remission were non-sensitisation and a normal lung function. Age, sex, BMI, and smoking habits were not significantly different between those in remission and those not. CONCLUSIONS: Remission of adult onset asthma was low. Severity of asthma changed considerably over time, however, the overall change was towards a milder disease probably as a result of treatment.
BACKGROUND: Studies of longitudinal changes in severity and the long-term outcome of asthma in epidemiological settings are uncommon. AIM: To assess the outcome of incident asthma in a cohort of subjects who developed asthma after the age of 20 years. METHODS: This is a prospective study of the outcome of 309 subjects with incident asthma being included in a case-referent study based on all adults aged 20-60 years living in three municipalities/towns in Northern Sweden. The subjects fulfilled the criteria for incident asthma defined as onset of symptoms common in asthma within 12 months prior to the study and a verified bronchial variability. In 2003, 250 (81%) of the subjects with asthma were re-examined with structured interview, lung-function test and methacholine test. RESULTS: At follow-up, 237 (95%) subjects still had an active asthma, i.e. they had symptoms or used asthma medicines. Among those with active asthma, 65% were using inhaled cortico-steroids. Severity grading (GINA 2000) showed that 21% had mild intermittent asthma, 30% mild persistent, 44% moderate persistent, and 5% severe asthma, contrasting to 75% with moderate or severe asthma at entry. Higher age, higher BMI and low lung function were associated with greater asthma severity. Twelve subjects (5%) were in remission. Predictors for remission were non-sensitisation and a normal lung function. Age, sex, BMI, and smoking habits were not significantly different between those in remission and those not. CONCLUSIONS: Remission of adult onset asthma was low. Severity of asthma changed considerably over time, however, the overall change was towards a milder disease probably as a result of treatment.
Authors: Shawn D Aaron; Katherine L Vandemheen; Louis-Philippe Boulet; R Andrew McIvor; J Mark Fitzgerald; Paul Hernandez; Catherine Lemiere; Sat Sharma; Stephen K Field; Gonzalo G Alvarez; Robert E Dales; Steve Doucette; Dean Fergusson Journal: CMAJ Date: 2008-11-18 Impact factor: 8.262
Authors: Joe G Zein; Raed A Dweik; Suzy A Comhair; Eugene R Bleecker; Wendy C Moore; Stephen P Peters; William W Busse; Nizar N Jarjour; William J Calhoun; Mario Castro; K Fan Chung; Anne Fitzpatrick; Elliot Israel; W Gerald Teague; Sally E Wenzel; Thomas E Love; Benjamin M Gaston; Serpil C Erzurum Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-07-22 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Giancarlo Pesce; Francesca Locatelli; Isa Cerveri; Massimiliano Bugiani; Pietro Pirina; Ane Johannessen; Simone Accordini; Maria Elisabetta Zanolin; Giuseppe Verlato; Roberto de Marco Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-10-06 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Hannu Kankaanranta; Pinja Ilmarinen; Terhi Kankaanranta; Leena E Tuomisto Journal: NPJ Prim Care Respir Med Date: 2015-06-25 Impact factor: 2.871