True restrictive ventilatory pattern in asthma.
Asthma is characterized by a reversible bronchial obstruction. Some patients may present a restrictive lung function pattern. Most often, this is due to extrapulmonary causes such as obesity, scoliosis, etc. As in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a "pseudorestriction," a lowered forced vital capacity (FVC) due to dynamic hyperinflation with air trapping, may be seen. This article presents two patients suffering from asthma who had an considerable impairment of total lung capacity (TLC) and FVC when their asthma was poorly controlled, showing a complete reversibility of restriction when treated properly for the asthma.
Department of Internal Medicine and Pneumology, Zuercher Hoehenklinik Davos, Davos Clavadel, Switzerland. thomas.rothe@zhd.ch
Thomas
T
Rothe
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents