[Clinical features of bronchial asthma with mucus hypersecretion]

Fifty patients with bronchial asthma were divided into four groups according to the amount of expectoration per day: 0-24, 25-49, 50-99 and 100+ ml/day. Clinical features of patients with mucus hypersecretion (more than 50 ml/day of expectoration) were evaluated by age, severity of disease, cellular composition of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and ventilatory function. 1. The proportion of patients with steroid-dependent intractable asthma (SDIA) in each group increased with increase in mucus hypersecretion. 2. Many of the patients with mucus hypersecretion (more than 50 ml/day) were over the age of 40. 3. The proportion of BAL eosinophils was significantly higher in patients with hypersecretion (more than 50 ml/day) than in those with expectoration of less than 49 ml/day. There was a significant correlation between the proportion of BAL eosinophils and the amount of expectoration per day (r = 0.48, p < 0.05). Proportions of lymphocytes and neutrophils in the BAL fluid were not related to the amount of expectoration per day. 4. There was no significant correlation between the amount of expectoration per day and ventilatory function in patients with asthma in this study.