Distinguishing characteristics of difficult-to-control asthma in inner-city children and adolescents
Recommended Citation
Pongracic JA, Krouse RZ, Babineau DC, Zoratti EM, Cohen RT, Wood RA, Khurana Hershey GK, Kercsmar CM, Gruchalla RS, Kattan M, Teach SJ, Johnson CC, Bacharier LB, Gern JE, Sigelman SM, Gergen PJ, Togias A, Visness CM, Busse WW, and Liu AH. Distinguishing characteristics of difficult-to-control asthma in inner-city children and adolescents. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2016; 138(4):1030-1041.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2016
Publication Title
The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Treatment levels required to control asthma vary greatly across a population with asthma. The factors that contribute to variability in treatment requirements of inner-city children have not been fully elucidated.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify the clinical characteristics that distinguish difficult-to-control asthma from easy-to-control asthma.
METHODS: Asthmatic children aged 6 to 17 years underwent baseline assessment and bimonthly guideline-based management visits over 1 year. Difficult-to-control and easy-to-control asthma were defined as daily therapy with 500 μg of fluticasone or greater with or without a long-acting β-agonist versus 100 μg or less assigned on at least 4 visits. Forty-four baseline variables were used to compare the 2 groups by using univariate analyses and to identify the most relevant features of difficult-to-control asthma by using a variable selection algorithm. Nonlinear seasonal variation in longitudinal measures (symptoms, pulmonary physiology, and exacerbations) was examined by using generalized additive mixed-effects models.
RESULTS: Among 619 recruited participants, 40.9% had difficult-to-control asthma, 37.5% had easy-to-control asthma, and 21.6% fell into neither group. At baseline, FEV1 bronchodilator responsiveness was the most important characteristic distinguishing difficult-to-control asthma from easy-to-control asthma. Markers of rhinitis severity and atopy were among the other major discriminating features. Over time, difficult-to-control asthma was characterized by high exacerbation rates, particularly in spring and fall; greater daytime and nighttime symptoms, especially in fall and winter; and compromised pulmonary physiology despite ongoing high-dose controller therapy.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite good adherence, difficult-to-control asthma showed little improvement in symptoms, exacerbations, or pulmonary physiology over the year. In addition to pulmonary physiology measures, rhinitis severity and atopy were associated with high-dose asthma controller therapy requirement.
Medical Subject Headings
Adolescent; Age of Onset; Anti-Asthmatic Agents; Asthma; Baltimore; Child; Female; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical History Taking; Poverty; Prospective Studies; Rhinitis; Severity of Illness Index; Urban Population
PubMed ID
27720017
Volume
138
Issue
4
First Page
1030
Last Page
1041
