Effects of different inhalant allergens on lung functions in adult patients with bronchial asthma.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of different types of inhalant allergens on the lung functions of adult patients with bronchial asthma.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included a total of 47 adults diagnosed with bronchial asthma at the Respiratory Outpatient Department of Tianjin First Central Hospital. Patients were divided into non-sensitized and sensitized groups based on the number of positive allergens detected and classified into four groups (the dust mite mixed group, animal dander mixed group, pollen-mixed group, and mold mixed group) based on the type of positive allergen detected. They were tested for the serum concentration of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) using a fluorescence immunoassay analyzer, and lung function was assessed using a pulmonary function testing machine. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare normally distributed data, while the rank sum test was utilized for non-normally distributed data.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in lung function indicators between these two groups (p > .05). There were statistically significant differences in forced expiratory volume in one second as a percentage of the predicted value (FEV1 %pred) (p = .028), FEV1 /forced vital capacity as a percentage of the predicted value; (FVC%pred) (p = .016), peak expiratory flow as a percentage of the predicted value (PEF%pred) (p = .001), forced expiratory flow at 50% of the predicted value of forced vital capacity (FEF50%pred) (p = .003), forced expiratory flow at 75% of the predicted value of forced vital capacity (FEF75%pred) (p = .023), and maximal midexpiratory flow (MM)EF75/25%pred (p = .002) among the four groups. The pollen-mixed group had higher PEF%pred (pollen vs. animal dander, p = .067; pollen vs. dust-mites, p = .008; pollen vs. molds, p = .001) and MMEF75/25%pred (pollen vs. animal dander, p = .048; pollen vs. dust-mites, p = .003; pollen vs. molds, p = .001) than the other three groups. The pollen-mixed group had higher FEF50%pred than the dust-mites mixed group (p = .008) and molds-mixed group (p = .001). The pollen-mixed group had higher FEF75%pred (p = .005), FEV1 %pred (p = .001), and FEV1 /FVC%pred (p = .001) than the molds-mixed group.

CONCLUSION: Different inhalant allergens had different effects on lung functions in adults with asthma.