[The induced sputum allows guide a therapeutic strategy to control bronchial asthma]

In spite of physiopathogenic and therapeutic advances, asthma remains uncontrolled. The purpose of this test is to assess whether the instruments commonly used in the management of asthma are sufficient tools to control asthma, comparing the information provided by clinical evidence with cellular inflammatory parameters obtained through the analysis of induced sputum. We studied 15 asthmatics under treatment, which were evaluated the asthma control status (ACS) by clinical and spirometrical criteria, according to GINA recommendations. Then each patient underwent to obtain a sample of induced sputum (IE) and it was further analysed as a previously validated technique. From the total number of patients, 7 were total controlled patients according to ACS; only 2 of them had a normal IE cellular pattern while the other 5 presented an inflammatory profile in the differential cells count of the IE, forced to make adjustments in the anti-inflammatory treatment. One partially controlled patient by ACS, revealed inflammatory parameters in IE allowing modify the therapeutic schema. In 7 not controlled patients by ACS, the cellular inflammatory characteristics in IE, allowed modify therapeutic strategy which achieved control of the disease. We concluded that inflamommetry by IE cellular analysis is the tool that contributes to optimize the treatment and achieve true control of the disease. We suggest including this procedure in clinical practice and proposing a strategy for the management of asthma.