Pulmonary function and drug regimens in asthmatics

Overall function, persistent obstruction and control of potentially reversible wheeze were related to drug regimen in 624 patients attending review clinics. Pulmonary function before and after correction for the effects of age, duration of asthma and social factors was studied for each drug regimen. The performance of those on regular bronchidilators only, particularly non-smokers, was disappointing, particularly with regard to control of potentially reversible wheeze. There was a group of patients who expressed dissatisfaction with their condition in whom no change in management was made despite objective evidence of poor control of potentially reversible wheeze. Subjective assessment of control bore little relationship to actual function in those patients on oral steroids. Nevertheless, throughout the clinics as a whole, subjects recorded pulmonary function which was on average 80 per cent of their potential.