Persistent asthma: Patient characteristics, courses of asthma, and utilityof salmeterol

Applications of National Asthma and Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP ) guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma may reduce the morb idity of th is disorder. Medical records and question nai res from a series of 177 outer-city adolescents and adults with persistent asthma were audit ed according to NAEPP guidelines and for utility of salmeterol (Serevent(R) ). Allergic sensitivity and exposure to indoor allergens house-dust mite (6 6% of patients), fungi (42%), cat (20%) and/or dog (14%) were of dominant i mportance to persistent asthma. Patients who continued salmeterol over 1 ye ar had reduced severity of disease, improved forced expiratory flow at 25%- 75% of vital capacity, and reduced usage of systemic, but not inhaled, cort icosteroid.