TABLE II.

Characteristics of children with asthma^*

	Severe (n = 39)	Mild-to-moderate (n = 36)	P
Age (y)	10 (6–17)	10 (6–15)	.119
Ethnicity
White	9 (23%)	26 (72%)	.000
African American	27 (69%)	7 (19%)
Other	3 (8%)	3 (8%)
Male	21 (54%)	18 (50%)	.459
Female	18 (46%)	18 (50%)
Age at diagnosis (mo)	22 (2–144)	60 (2–156)	.000
Daily daytime symptoms†	19 (49%)	6 (17%)	.007
Daily nocturnal symptoms	11 (28%)	0	.030
Atopic dermatitis	27 (69%)	15 (42%)	.021
Immediate family history of asthma	31 (79%)	19 (53%)	.027
Total hospital admissions	4 (0–25)	0 (0–3)	.000
Total intensive care unit admissions	1 (0–10)	0 (0–1)	.000
Daily medications
Short-acting β-agonists‡	22 (56%)	3 (8%)	.000
Long-acting β-agonists§	33 (85%)	23 (64%)	.000
Montelukast (Merck, Whitehouse Station, NJ)	39 (100%)	23 (64%)	.041
Prednisone	8 (21%)	0

^*Values represent the frequency (percentage) or the median (range).

^†Six subjects with mild-to-moderate asthma experienced bronchospasm with daily participation in organized sports.

^‡Three subjects with mild-to-moderate asthma used prophylactic β-agonists before daily sports participation.

^§All children with long-acting β-agonist use were on fluticasone/salmeterol combination therapy.