title: Differing reports of asthma symptoms in African Americans and Caucasians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study explores the reported symptoms in African Americans and Caucasians with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Asthma patients in an inner-city pulmonary clinic were given a brief questionnaire of asthma symptoms and the BORG scale, followed by spirometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  African Americans were less likely to report nocturnal awakenings (67% vs. 100%; p = 0.037), complain of dyspnea (33% vs. 75%; p = 0.038), or experience chest pain (13% vs. 75%; p = 0.002) than Caucasians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to demonstrate that there are clinically significant differences in the reporting of asthma symptoms between African Americans and Caucasians.
authors: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee 37208, USA. dtrochtenberg@mmc.edu
authors: D Scott
authors: DS
authors: Trochtenberg
authors: Rhonda
authors: R
authors: BeLue
authors: Sharon
authors: S
authors: Piphus
authors: Niketa
authors: N
authors: Washington
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People