Table 1.
Characteristics of patients with severe asthma (N=206)
| Demographics | |
| Age (years) | 48±17 |
| Gender (male) | 99 (48.1) |
| Ethnicity | |
| Chinese | 126 (61.2) |
| Malay | 34 (16.5) |
| Indian | 29 (14.1) |
| Others | 17 (8.3) |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 26.0±6.6 |
| Asthma control test score | 18 (15–21) |
| Age of onset (years) | 22 (10–40) |
| Family history of asthma | 50 (24.3) |
| Allergic rhinitis | 130 (63.1) |
| Number of controllers | |
| Two | 91 (44.2) |
| Three | 91 (44.2) |
| ≥Four | 24 (11.6) |
| Pulmonary function test | |
| FEV1, % of predicted | 71±20 |
| FVC, % of predicted | 76±17 |
| FEV1/FVC | 0.73±0.13 |
| Indicators of uncontrolled asthma | |
| ≥2 steroid bursts in the past year | 45 (21.8) |
| Hospitalization in the past year | 35 (17.0) |
| History of near-fatal asthma | 11 (6.3) |
| FEV1 <80% predicted and FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 69 (33.5) |
| Any of the above | 109 (52.9) |
Notes: Values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation, median (interquartile range) and numbers (percentage). Controllers include inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta agonists, theophylline, leukotriene receptor antagonists, long-term steroids, omalizumab or anticholinergics.
Abbreviations: FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity.