Relationship between clinical findings and spirometry parameters among patients with mild asthma

Abstract

Few studies have been done regarding the concordance of association of clinical findings and spirometric parameters especially in patients with mild asthma. In this study we evaluated the relationship between clinical findings and spirometric parameters among patients with mild asthma. In an analytical cross-sectional study, we evaluated patients who were referred to the Baqiyatallah university hospital during the year 2009 because of mild asthma symptoms. Before beginning the treatment, patients were examined by a pulmonologist and all of them underwent spirometric evaluation. A total of 68 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 43.78±10.74 years and 52.9% of cases were male). Regarding the bivariate analysis, there was a significant correlation between clinical findings and spirometric parameters. In multivariate analysis, a significant correlation was found between FVC values and wheezing (P=0.007, β=-0.351), FVC values and coughing (P=0.028, β=+0.272), FEV1 values and wheezing (P<0.001, β=-0.440) and FEV1 values and dyspnea (P=0.014, β=+0.276), also FEV1/FVC values and a family history of asthma (P=0.001, β=+0.370), FEV1/FVC values and wheezing (P=0.001, β=-0.365), FEV1/FEV values and dyspnea (P=0.009, β=-0.283) and finally for the wheezing and MEF values (P<0.001, β=-0.615). In conclusion, although in the previous studies the exact relationship between any of the spirometric indices and clinical symptoms has not been described, it seems that wheezing rather than the other clinical findings may be correlated with spirometric indices, however further studies with larger sample size are necessary.