Baseline characteristics at the start of the first and second year of follow-up, for patients in the self-treatment (S) and control (C) group
| First year | Second year | |||
| Group S | Group C | Group S | Group C | |
| Subjects n | 123 | 122 | 84 | 90 |
| Sex M:F | 51:72 | 60:62 | 36:48 | 44:46 |
| Mean age yrs | 43.5±11.7 | 45.2±12.0 | 46.3±11.0 | 46.3±12.0 |
| Education % | ||||
| Low | 38.0 | 32.0 | 38.6 | 33.3 |
| Medium | 35.5 | 41.0 | 39.7 | 37.8 |
| High | 26.5 | 27.0 | 21.7 | 28.9 |
| Mean duration of asthma yrs | 21.5±15.4 | 18.4±14.2 | 22.3±15.6 | 16.8±13.5 |
| Skin prick test % positive | 67.5 | 67.5 | 64.3 | 65.9 |
| Smoking % | ||||
| Nonsmokers | 54.4 | 51.7 | 58.3 | 51.1 |
| ex-smokers | 35.8 | 35.2 | 35.7 | 35.6 |
| Smokers | 9.8 | 13.1 | 6.0 | 13.3 |
| Inhaled steroids μg·day−1, MDI equivalent | 617±443 | 561±341 | 616±469 | 537±313 |
| FEV1 % pred | 76.0±20.0 | 76.9±20.1 | 75.7±21.8 | 75.6±20.7 |
| Morning PEF L·min−1 | 381±113 | 389±108 | 378±120 | 381±103 |
Data are presented as mean±SD or %
The dose of inhaled steroids in dry powder inhalers was considered equipotent to half the dose in metered dose inhalers (MDI). Fluticasone propionate was considered twice as potent as beclomethasone dipropionate and budesonide
FEV1: Forced expiretory volume in one second
PEF: peak expiratory flow.