[Prognosis of asthmatic adolescents in adulthood]

Little is known about the long-term outcome of asthmatic adolescents. According to the literature, 20 to 50% of asthmatic adolescents become symptom-free when they become adults. We report 50 cases of asthmatic adolescents, 25 girls and 25 boys, with a mean follow of 4.4 years (range 1-12 years). Only 4 patients (8%) became symptom-free, all 4 were stage I and II patients. One death occurred subsequent to penicillin allergy, but was not related to status asthmaticus. Nor remission was observed in stage III and IV patients, whereas 5.8% and 12% of stage II and II patients respectively grew out of their asthma. The factors predictive of persistent asthma in adulthood were severe asthma at the age of 13 years, female gender, onset of asthma before the age of 7 years, no periodic rhinitis, and exercise induced asthma.