Study of correlation between forced vital capacity and demand for healthcare services in severe asthmatics

Abstract

BackgroundInvolvement of the small airways may be related to increased severity and increased demand for health care services and incurring in high costs, private or for the healthcare system. The hyperinflation consequent to this involvement reduces lung volumes, such as FVC, FEV1 and SVC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the predicted values of FVC, FEV1 and SVC with the demand for healthcare services by severe asthmatics.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated in order of arrival, the medical records of 98 patients with severe asthma, in step 4 treatment in the intercritical period of the disease, correlating the number of times each patient sought health care services represented by admissions to the ER, ICU and hospital wards due to asthma, in the year before the last spirometry and the predicted values of FVC, FEV1 and SVC.ResultsOur sample showed a clear and significant negative correlation between the predicted values of FVC, FEV1 and SVC and demand for healthcare services.ConclusionFor this sample we conclude, that reduced forced vital capacity correlated with asthma severity, defined by greater demand for care in the ER, ICU and hospital ward and was more evident in women.

Obesity affects pulmonary function in Japanese adult patients with asthma, but not those without asthma

“…For example, decreased FEV 1 is a major characteristic of severe asthma, along with increased symptoms and exacerbations 25 , 26 . Reduced FVC is also correlated with uncontrolled asthma defined by emergency department visits 27 and is significantly lower in asthma patients with severe airflow obstruction than in those with moderate airflow obstruction based on their baseline FEV 1 28 . These data and the present results show that decreased pulmonary function is an important parameter reflecting asthma severity.…”