[Oral steroids effects on the respiratory muscles function in severe asthmatic patients].
BACKGROUND
Several studies suggest that severe asthmatic patients under oral steroids show higher risk of myopathy induced by steroids. Nevertheless, no conclusive data exist about the prolonged oral steroid therapy effects on the res- piratory muscles function. We didn't found correlation between the severity of obs- truction (evaluated by FEV1), hyperinflation (residual volu- me- RV) and the muscle pressures in both groups. Also, there were no significant correlation between the G1 PImax and oral steroid accumulated dose.


CONCLUSIONS
We found a significant compromise of the res- piratory muscle function in the both studied groups with severe asthma. The oral steroid therapy caused no additional adverse effect in muscle respiratory function even after a prolon- ged treatment. The compromise of the muscle respiratory function foun- ded can be justified by the prolonged exposition to inhaled steroids. Key-words: Asthma, respiratory muscles, oral steroids.
Borba
Alexandra
A
Serviço de Pneumologia do Hospital de Santa Marta (Director: Dra. Maria João Valente).
Guil
Diego
D
Naveso
Gonzalo
G
Magro
Elsa
E
Olveira
Cláudia
C
Cardoso
João
J
Semedo
Luísa
L