Demographic, asthma severity and spirometric data observed in the near-fatal asthma (NFA) and non-NFA groups
| NFA | Non-NFA | p-value | |
| Subjects n | 179 | 40 | |
| Age yrs | 50.4±19.2 | 48.4±18.7 | ns |
| Male | 41 | 35 | ns |
| Severe persistent asthma# | 52 | 47 | ns |
| Moderate persistent asthma# | 42 | 42 | ns |
| Mild persistent asthma# | 3 | 8 | ns |
| Intermittent asthma# | 3 | 3 | ns |
| FEV1 % pred | 73±24 | 78±24 | ns |
| Alexithymic patients | 36 | 13 | 0.004 |
Data are presented as mean±sd or percentage. FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second; % pred: percentage of the predicted value; ns: nonsignificant. #: classification from Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA; 1995) 16.