Clinical Characteristics of Exacerbation-Prone Adult Asthmatics Identified by Cluster Analysis
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
; : 483-490, 2017.
Article
in En
| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-114699
Responsible library:
WPRO
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by various types of airway inflammation and obstruction. Therefore, it is classified into several subphenotypes, such as early-onset atopic, obese non-eosinophilic, benign, and eosinophilic asthma, using cluster analysis. A number of asthmatics frequently experience exacerbation over a long-term follow-up period, but the exacerbation-prone subphenotype has rarely been evaluated by cluster analysis. This prompted us to identify clusters reflecting asthma exacerbation. METHODS: A uniform cluster analysis method was applied to 259 adult asthmatics who were regularly followed-up for over 1 year using 12 variables, selected on the basis of their contribution to asthma phenotypes. After clustering, clinical profiles and exacerbation rates during follow-up were compared among the clusters. RESULTS: Four subphenotypes were identified: cluster 1 was comprised of patients with early-onset atopic asthma with preserved lung function, cluster 2 late-onset non-atopic asthma with impaired lung function, cluster 3 early-onset atopic asthma with severely impaired lung function, and cluster 4 late-onset non-atopic asthma with well-preserved lung function. The patients in clusters 2 and 3 were identified as exacerbation-prone asthmatics, showing a higher risk of asthma exacerbation. CONCLUSIONS: Two different phenotypes of exacerbation-prone asthma were identified among Korean asthmatics using cluster analysis; both were characterized by impaired lung function, but the age at asthma onset and atopic status were different between the two.
Key words
Full text:
1
Index:
WPRIM
Main subject:
Phenotype
/
Asthma
/
Cluster Analysis
/
Follow-Up Studies
/
Clothing
/
Eosinophils
/
Inflammation
/
Lung
/
Methods
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
Year:
2017
Type:
Article