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Updated: May 17, 2026
07:10
Home-Based Prescribed Pulmonary Exercise in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: August 24, 2019
Positive exercise test and obstructive spirometry in young male conscripts associated with persistent asthma 20 years
Irmeli Lindström1, Hille Suojalehto, Harri Lindholm
1Control of Hypersensitivity Diseases, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. irmeli.lindstrom@ttl.fi
Summary
Persistent asthma in men is linked to exercise challenges and reduced lung function identified in youth. These factors can predict long-term asthma severity, aiding early intervention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Clinical Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Asthma frequently emerges in youth or early adulthood.
- Identifying long-term asthma predictors is crucial for effective management.
- Asthma is a prevalent condition among military conscripts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate prognostic factors for asthma severity in 40-year-old male conscripts.
- To assess long-term asthma persistence and severity predictors in individuals whose asthma began in youth.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 119 male conscripts with asthma was followed for approximately 20 years.
- Asthma severity was assessed during military service and at a 20-year follow-up visit.
- Baseline lung function tests and exercise challenge results were analyzed as predictors of persistent asthma.
Main Results:
- At follow-up, 35.3% had moderate/severe persistent asthma, while 11.8% achieved remission.
- Positive exercise tests at baseline predicted current persistent asthma (OR=3.2).
- Reduced FEV1/FVC % predicted (OR=4.0) and FEF50% % predicted (OR=2.8) were significant predictors of persistent asthma.
Conclusions:
- Approximately half of the male subjects experienced persistent asthma 20 years after initial diagnosis.
- Positive exercise tests and obstructive spirometry findings are valuable long-term prognostic indicators for asthma severity.
- These identified factors can inform strategies for predicting and managing persistent asthma.
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