title: Fungal Sensitization Is Associated with Increased Risk of Life-Threatening Asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fungal sensitization in patients with asthma has been associated with severe asthma and worse asthma outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between fungal and nonfungal sensitization, asthma severity, and clinical outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of patients with asthma evaluated in an urban pulmonary subspecialty clinic in the United States was performed. Patients with fungal and nonfungal allergen sensitization were identified based on serum-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) testing. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and spirometric data were obtained. The relationship between fungal sensitization and asthma outcomes was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 390 patients with asthma identified, 307 had sIgE testing, of whom 53 (17.3%) had fungal sensitization, 117 (38.1%) had nonfungal sensitization, and 137 (44.6%) had no sensitization. Patients with fungal sensitization were more likely to be sensitized to ≥5 allergens than patients with nonfungal sensitization (66% for fungal vs 29% for nonfungal, P < .001). Serum IgE concentrations were highest in patients with fungal sensitization compared with patients with no sensitization or nonfungal sensitization (median, 825, 42, and 203 IU/mL, respectively, P < .001). Fungal sensitized patients were more likely to require intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mechanical ventilation than those with no sensitization or nonfungal sensitization (13.2%, 3.7%, and 3.4%, respectively, for ICU admission, P = .02; 11.3%, 1.5%, and 0.9%, respectively, for ventilation, P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fungal sensitization is common in patients with asthma in an urban setting and is associated with greater sensitization to nonfungal allergens and increased risk of life-threatening asthma.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Medrek
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.
authors.forename: Christina C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.
authors.forename: Danny H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.
authors.forename: Nicola A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hanania
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex. Electronic address: paruleka@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Amit D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Parulekar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Allergens; Atopy; Serum-specific immunoglobulin E; Severe asthma