title: Asthma and asthma-like disorder, a 5-year follow-up study.
abstract: Consecutive adult patients (n = 70) referred for investigation of suspected asthma were reinvestigated after 5 years with the same diagnostic procedures (airway symptom score, spirometry, methacholine test) as used at the initial investigation. The same diagnostic criteria for asthma, asthma-like disorder (current asthma-like symptoms but negative asthmatests)and chronicobstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were used at both visits. At the first visit 39/70 patients (56%) fulfilled the asthma criteria, 21/70 (27%) fulfilled the asthma-like criteria and 5/70 (7%) the COPD criteria. Due to lack of current symptoms 5/70 (7%) could not be classified. 5/70 patients (7%) were smokers, however, in the majority (72%) smoke was not tolerated as it induced asthma-like symptoms. At the investigation, 5 years later, 30/39 patients (76%) still fulfilled the asthma criteria and 12/21 patients (57%) still fulfilled the asthma-like criteria. At the 5-year investigation, 10% of patients in the asthma group now fulfilled the asthma-like criteria and 10% of patients in the asthma-like group fulfilled the asthma criteria. It is concluded that asthma as well an asthma-like syndrome may persist for 5 years or more. It is also concluded thatthe two disorders are closely related as patients in the asthma group over time could move into the diagnostic criteria ofthe asthma-like disorder and vice versa.
authors.affiliation: Asthma and Allergy Research Group, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. olle.lowhagen@lungall.gu.se
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Löwhagen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arvidsson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pettersson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000403:Airway Resistance; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride