Abstract
Background: The long-term prognosis of adult-onset asthma is not known.
Objective: To evaluate the 12-year prognosis of adult-onset asthma with regards to remission and control of asthma and to evaluate the factors associated with the prognosis.
Methods: Seinajoki Adult-onset Asthma Study (SAAS) is a 12-year real-life single-center follow-up study of new-onset asthma diagnosed at adult age and treated in primary and specialized care. Remission was defined by no symptoms and no asthma medication usage for 6 months. Asthma control was evaluated according to GINA 2010. Factors associated with current asthma control were analyzed by multinomial multivariate logistic regression.
Results: A total of 203 patients were followed for 12 years. Remission occurred in 6 (3%) patients. In 34 % asthma was controlled, in 36% it was partly controlled and in 30% uncontrolled. Uncontrolled asthma was predicted by elevated body-mass index at baseline, smoking (pack-years) and current allergic or persistent rhinitis. Elevated blood eosinophils and good lung function (FEV1) at baseline protected from uncontrolled asthma. In contrast, gender, age at the onset of the disease or symptoms (AQ-20) at baseline were not significant predictors of uncontrolled asthma.
Conclusions: During a follow-up for 12-years, remission of adult-onset asthma was rare occurring in only 3 % of patients. The majority of patients (66 %) showed either uncontrolled or partially controlled asthma.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015
