Features of bronchial asthma in male adolescents

Abstract

Timely diagnosis of bronchial asthma (BA) in adolescence and adequate therapy controlling the disease provide not only a good prognosis but also are of social importance. Moreover, BA in male adolescents is relevant to their fitness for military service. The purpose of our work was to study clin# ical and functional features of BA in 603 adolescent males aged 16 to 19 years treated in allergology department of City Clinical Hospital No.52 in 2006 to 2007. The results demonstrated that atopic BA phenotype prevailed among adolescent males with BA (99 % of the teenagers). Those patients had mild BA (89.6 %) with physiological stabilization. Lung function of patients with mild (especially intermittent) BA in stable condition did not differ from that of healthy individuals. Disorders could be seen only in worsening of the disease. Challenge test is helpful for detection of mild BA in adolescents with normal pulmonary function test and no response to β_2-agonists. Most adolescent males (77 %) with BA had specific or nonspecif# ic bronchial hyperreactivity even while having intermittent asthma with no symptoms. Most adolescents with BA received inadequate therapy and poor awareness of asthma treatment and prevention.