[Prevalence of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in Chinese patients with bronchial asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of sensitization to Aspergillus antigens and the prevalence of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) in asthmatic patients. METHODS: Two hundred consecutive non-smoking outpatients with asthma (≥ 18 years) underwent skin testing with aeroallergens, peripheral eosinophil counting, measurements of total serum IgE level and specific IgE against Aspergillus fumigatus, radiologic investigations and pulmonary function tests. RESULTS: Eleven patients (5.5%) had a positive skin reactivity to Aspergillus antigens. Five of these 11 patients (45.5%) met the diagnostic criteria of ABPA, an overall prevalence of 2.5% (5/200). There were 2 males and 3 females, aging from 19 to 62 years, with a disease duration from 15 to 40 years. All of the patients had asthmatic symptoms such as cough and wheeze. Moderate to severe obstructive ventilatory defect was found in 4 patients. Total serum IgE levels and specific IgE against Aspergillus fumigates were elevated significantly in all the patients, and elevated eosinophil count was found in 3 patients. Three cases were diagnosed as ABPA-CB because of the presence of central bronchiectasis on HRCT. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ABPA in Chinese patients with asthma was underestimated. Clinical features of ABPA were similar to asthma alone, but with longer duration and more severe lung function defect. Sensitization to Aspergillus, increased eosinophils and total serum IgE levels were important indicators for the diagnosis of ABPA.

[The impact of an asthmatic patient education program on asthma control and quality of life].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of an asthmatic patient education program on asthma control and quality of life. METHODS: The program, which consisted of a special clinic for asthma, an asthma education center and the Asthmatic Patients Association, was carried out in Peking University People's Hospital. Interview-administered questionnaire of two groups of adult outpatients between Apr. and Jun. in 2005, the educated group (56 cases), including those having taken part in the asthma education program, and the control group (30 cases), including those of another hospital in Beijing without systematic asthma education program. The level of control of asthma and the quality of life in the past 8 weeks were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: The rate of well-controlled asthma for the two groups was 61% (34 cases) and 10% (3 cases), respectively (chi2 = 20.50, P < 0.01); and the total score of quality of life for the two groups was 155 +/- 12 and 132 +/- 24, respectively (t = 5.17, P < 0.01). The results in the educated group were all better than those in the control group, the differences between the two groups being statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our asthmatic patient education program can significantly improve asthma control and quality of life.