title: Prevalence of bronchiectasis in asthma according to oral steroid requirement: influence of immunoglobulin levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the prevalence of bronchiectasis in asthma in relation to patients' oral corticosteroid requirements and to explore whether the increased risk is due to blood immunoglobulin (Ig) concentration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control cross-sectional study, including 100 sex- and age-matched patients, 50 with non-steroid-dependent asthma (NSDA) and 50 with steroid-dependent asthma (SDA).
  
  
  METHODS
  (a) measurement of Ig and gG subclass concentration; (b) forced spirometry; and (c) high-resolution thoracic computed tomography. When bronchiectasis was detected, a specific etiological protocol was applied to establish its etiology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of bronchiectasis was 12/50 in the SDA group and 6/50 in the NSDA group (p = ns). The etiology was documented in six patients (four NSDA and two SDA). After excluding these patients, the prevalence of bronchiectasis was 20% (10/50) in the SDA group and 2/50 (4%) in the NSDA group (P < 0.05). Patients with asthma-associated bronchiectasis presented lower FEV1 values than patients without bronchiectasis, but the levels of Ig and subclasses of IgG did not present differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Steroid-dependent asthma seems to be associated with a greater risk of developing bronchiectasis than non-steroid-dependent asthma. This is probably due to the disease itself rather than to other influencing factors such as immunoglobulin levels.
authors: Servei de Pneumologia, Hospital de Sabadell, Corporació Sanitària i Universitària Parc Taulí, Parc Taulí 1, Sabadell, 08208 Barcelona, Spain ; Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Campus de la UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain ; Ciber de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Carretera Soller Km 12, Illes Balears, 07110 Bunyola, Spain.
authors: Manel
authors: M
authors: Luján
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Gallardo
authors: María José
authors: MJ
authors: Amengual
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Bosque
authors: Rosa M
authors: RM
authors: Mirapeix
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Domingo
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007074:Immunoglobulin G