title: Antiasthmatic versus surgical treatment-how important is the precise analysis of spirometry?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carcinoids are low-grade, slow growing malignant tumors in the bronchi usually producing symptoms secondary to bronchial obstruction. We describe a case of 25-year-old woman who was initially diagnosed with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Because of exacerbation and unresponsiveness to proper asthma treatment she was referred to spirometry, which showed low values of forced expiratory volume in 1 second. The shape of inspiratory limb of flow volume curve suggested an obstruction in the main bronchus or in the trachea. Further bronchoscopy revealed a tumor of the right main bronchus with characteristic histological features for carcinoid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the inspiratory curve and the expiratory part of the flow-volume loop should be evaluated in patients being evaluated for asthma. If there are changes in the shape of the inspiratory limb suggesting an obstruction, CT and/or bronchoscopy should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Allergology, University Children Hospital, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Swiebocka
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Siergiejko
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grygorczuk
authors.forename: Zenon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Siergiejko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents