Predictive factors of severe asthma in women.

Severe asthma is an uncontrolled asthma despite an optimal treatment. The aim of this study was to determine predictive factors of severe asthma in Tunisian asthmatic women.
A retrospective study including 910 women followed for asthma at pneumology department during a period of 10 years. We compared 2 groups: Patients with severe asthma and asthmatic patients without severe asthma. This comparison was based on demographic, clinic and functional criteria. A multivariate logistic regression study enabled to identify predictive factors of severe asthma in women.
In univariate analysis, significant predictive factors of severe asthma were: Late age of asthma diagnosis, advanced age of asthma onset, obesity, aspirin intolerance, gastro esophageal reflux (GERD) symptoms and ventilator disorder at spirometry. The main predictive factors of severe asthma in a logistic regression analysis were GERD symptoms (p=0, 02) and ventilatory deficit: Lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV) (p=0,002) and reduced FEV/CVF (forced vital capacity) (p<10-3).
Knowledge of the predictors of severe asthma in women enables optimization of patients care and help to prevent this form of asthma.