title: Study of correlation between forced vital capacity and demand for healthcare services in severe asthmatics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Involvement of the small airways may be related to increased severity and increased demand for health care services and incurring in high costs, private or for the healthcare system. The hyperinflation consequent to this involvement reduces lung volumes, such as FVC, FEV1 and SVC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the predicted values of FVC, FEV1 and SVC with the demand for healthcare services by severe asthmatics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated in order of arrival, the medical records of 98 patients with severe asthma, in step 4 treatment in the intercritical period of the disease, correlating the number of times each patient sought health care services represented by admissions to the ER, ICU and hospital wards due to asthma, in the year before the last spirometry and the predicted values of FVC, FEV1 and SVC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample showed a clear and significant negative correlation between the predicted values of FVC, FEV1 and SVC and demand for healthcare services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For this sample we conclude, that reduced forced vital capacity correlated with asthma severity, defined by greater demand for care in the ER, ICU and hospital ward and was more evident in women.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor Internal Medicine Department, Santa Casa School of Medicine and Hospitals of São Paulo, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Castelluccio
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor Internal Medicine Department - Pneumology, Santa Casa School of Medicine and Hospitals of São Paulo, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stirbulov
authors.affiliation: Master Degree Program in Research in Surgery of Santa Casa School of Medicine of Sao Paulo (FCMSCSP), Sao Paulo (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Sciences PhD Program, Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: J C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Mondo Medico, Multidisciplinary and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic, Borgomanero, NO Italy.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Donner
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Sciences Master and PhD Program, Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo, Brazil ; Rua Itapicuru, 380 apto 111 Perdizes, CEP 05006-000 Sao Paulo, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: L V F
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor Internal Medicine Department, Santa Casa School of Medicine and Hospitals of São Paulo, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rasslan
keywords: Asthma; Healthcare utilization; Vital capacity