20 YEAR FOLLOW UP STUDIES OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IN CHILDREN

Abstract

A questionnaire on the prognosis of bronchial asthma was sent in 2002 to 136 patients who had a first visit in department of Allergy, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center between 1982 and 1984. The average age of the first visit was 6.9±3.8 years. The average age at the questionnaire was 25.7±3.9 years. 2 year-remission was 54.1% (56.8% males, 48.9% females). There were significant differences in blood eosinophil, serum total IgE, a severity at the initial visit, airway responsiveness (acetylcholine threhsould) in male, and V₅₀ in female between remission group and non-remission group. The prognosis was significantly poorer among asthmatics with pharmacotherapy of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate, inhaled sodium cromoglycate, or theophylline, because these drugs predominantly are used by severer patients. Relapses after 2 year-remission was 16.7%, and 21.4% of these entered further remission. Smoking ratio was 33.6%, but not associated with remission.