Is the bronchodilator test an useful tool to measure asthma control?

Abstract

Introduction: Asthma control includes the control of symptoms and future risk. We sought to evaluate the usefulness of the degree of spirometric reversibility of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) as the target parameter of control.Methodology: Patients with bronchial asthma were followed up for one year. The clinical, functional, inflammatory and control parameters of the asthma were collected. The area under the curve (AUC) was estimated to establish the cutoff point of the post-bronchodilator FEV1 reversibility in relation to noncontrol asthma. In the univariate analysis, the differences between groups were studied based on the degree of estimated reversibility. Factors with a significance = 10% (sensitivity: 65.8%, specificity: 48.4%, positive predictive value: 69.5%, and AUC: 0.619 [0.533-0.700], p = 10), an increased use of relief medication was observed, along with a significantly progressive drop in post- bronchodilator FEV1 and post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC (forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity).Conclusions: Spirometric reversibility can be useful in assessing control in asthmatic patients and can predict future risk parameters. The cutoff point related to the non-control of asthma found in our work was >= 10%. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.