RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Long-term FEV1 decline and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P3968
VO 44
IS Suppl 58
A1 Bruno Sposato
A1 Marco Scalese
A1 Elisa Baldini
A1 Maria Giovanna Migliorini
YR 2014
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P3968.abstract
AB Our study investigated if airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) at asthma onset could predict FEV1 decline in treated asthmatics. We retrospectively recruited 275 subjects that had performed a methacholine test at asthma onset and FEV1 measurements after 5-10 years. We subdivided subjects into three groups, according to their AHR level. 65 patents had normal reactivity (25 males; mean age 46±15; mean baseline FEV1%:96.1±20); 78 were borderline/mild AHR (PD20>400µg) (26 males; mean age 43±14; mean baseline FEV1%:102±12; mean PD20:1120±696) and 132 showed moderate/severe AHR (PD20≤400µg; 51 males; mean age 43±14; mean baseline FEV1%: 94±13; mean PD20:185±108). Annual FEV1 declines (the differences between the first and last measurements, divided by the number of years separating them) were compared. Average annual FEV1 declines (after 7±2 years) were similar in all groups: 46.2±81 ml/yr in normal reactivity subjects, 53±65 in borderline/mild AHR and 45±62.5 in moderate/severe AHR (p=0.645). No differences in FEV1 decline values were found either in males or females. When a logistic model was applied to investigate if AHR could predict a FEV1 decline (>30 ml/yr) - corrected for age sex, smoking habits and BMI - we found that AHR (compared to normal reactivity) was not a risk factor for a greater FEV1 decline (OR:0.76 [95%CI:0.40-1.44]; p=0.4 in borderline/mild AHR and OR:1.26 [95%CI:0.61-2.61]; p=0.54 in moderate/severe AHR). Moreover, no relationships between annual FEV1 declines and baseline PD20 values (r=0.05) were found. In conclusion, AHR severity, detected at asthma onset, does not seem to be associated with a worse FEV1 decline. Other factors may be involved.