Abstract
Forty-two severely asthmatic children, aged 7 to 13 (22 boys and 20 girls), who had received institutional therapy were followed up by measuring ventilatory functions during non-attack periods. Follow-ups ranged from 3 to 10 years. The following conclusions were reached.
In regard to long-term changes in FEV1.0% there were many cases in which a transient decrease was observed around the age of 8 to 11, started to increase around the age of 11 or 12 and intensified steadily up to the age of 15.
Those whose FEV1.0% had been higher during their hospitalization tended to show improvment of up to more than 80% in their FEV1.0%, while those whose FEV1.0%, had been lower showd limited improvement.
While the patients of the group whose airways were moderately severely obstructed during the hospitalization period had the maximum in allergic factors, those whose airways were the most severely obstructed had fewer familiar predispositions to allergic diseases, fewer complications of atopic dermatitis and lower serum IgE levels than the patients of other groups. Based on these findings, the group with the severest obstruction seems to be involved in intrinsic asthma or allergy except for type I.
It is hoped that severely asthmatic children whose airways are severely obstructed have their pharmacotherapies reviewed and are treated from an early stage with comprehensive medical care, including institutional therapy.
