Open AccessAn epidemiological perspective on severe asthma
Author(s) -
Mincheva Roxana,
Lundback Bo,
Lotvall Jan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
clinical and translational allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.979
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2045-7022
DOI - 10.1186/2045-7022-5-s2-o4
Subject(s) - medicine , asthma , cohort , lung function , epidemiology , population , asthma exacerbations , pediatrics , cohort study , allergy , emergency department , lung , immunology , environmental health , psychiatry
Methods From a large population based study in West Sweden, a subgroup of 744 people with active asthma was characterised with extensive clinical examinations and detailed questionnaires. In this cohort we defined different parameters of severity as follows –1) low lung function as FEV1% predicted below 70%, 2) multi-symptom asthma described day-time symptoms, 3) 2 or more night-time awakenings per month, 4) use of rescue medications 3 or more times per week, 5) any respiratory emergency visits and 6) use of oral steroids regularly or on exacerbations in the last year. We outlined particular subgroups of asthmatics who presented with different extend of overlap of these characteristics and looked into possible risk factors for the separate groups.