Looking at allergens increases symptom report in patients with allergic asthma

Accurate symptom perception is highly important for self-management and clinical treatment of asthma. Recent findings suggest that psychological factors can greatly impact asthma symptom perception. This study examined whether looking at allergens would lead to changes in perceived asthma symptoms.

Allergic asthma patients and healthy controls viewed picture series containing either allergens or neutral material. Symptom reports and respiratory parameters were measured.

The present results demonstrate that looking at pictures with allergens increases subjective symptom reports in patients with allergic asthma in the absence of changes in objective respiratory parameters, but not in healthy controls.

The results are suggestive of preceding learning processes during which patients have learned the association between visual representations of allergens and symptom-inducing effects of real contact with these allergens. This impacts asthma symptom perception without changes in respiratory status and might influence treatment decisions.