Title: Perception of induced bronchoconstriction in a community sample of adolescents
Abstract: Background: Poor perception of asthma symptoms has been cited as a risk factor for asthma death, yet there is no consensus as to the best way to characterize perception, and little is known about perception in normative samples. Hypoperceivers are of clinical interest because of risks of undertreatment; hyperperceivers are at risk for adverse iatrogenic effects caused by overtreatment. Objective: This study investigates perception of methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction in 175 adolescents. Methods: Breathlessness was rated after each inhalation by using the Borg scale. Perception groups were calculated on the basis of change from placebo Borg to high Borg scores (perception score at the highest methacholine dose). Subjects were called hypoperceivers if their Borg change score was greater than 1 SD below the mean for their FEV1 group, hyperperceivers if their Borg change score was greater than 1 SD above the mean for their FEV1 group, and accurate perceivers otherwise. Results: For subjects with an FEV1 drop of less than 10%, accurate perceivers had a change in Borg score of 1.4 or less, and hyperperceivers had a change of greater than 1.4. For a drop in FEV1 between 10% and 19%, hypoperceivers had a change in Borg score of less than 0.2, accurate perceivers had a change between 0.2 and 2.1, and hyperperceivers had a change of greater than 2.1. For those with an FEV1 drop of 20% or greater, hypoperceivers had a Borg change of less than 0.2, accurate perceivers had a change between 0.2 and 2.6, and hyperperceivers had a change of greater than 2.6. No differences in age, sex, placebo Borg ratings, baseline pulmonary functions, PC20 values, or psychologic variables were found among perception groups. Conclusion: This study provides reference Borg values during methacholine challenge for 175 community adolescents. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106:1102-7.)
Publication Year: 2000
Publication Date: 2000-12-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 13
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