Clinical Management of Asthmatic Bronchitis

Some Observations on 100 Cases

¹ Ann Arbor, Michigan

The increasing and alarming incidence of asthmatic bronchitis, and its accompanying disability, morbidity and common progression to fatal illness requires intensive efforts to learn more about the disease. Of the patients with asthmatic bronchitis studied, two-thirds were found to be smokers, and over one-half had a history of whooping cough or pneumonia. The incidence of atopic disease in this group was 72 per cent, a high figure in comparison to the general population. In six patients there was no history of previous lung disease, and there was no explanation for their development of asthmatic bronchitis.

The measures at hand for treating asthmatic bronchitis are discussed; in spite of them, the total disability and mortality of this group over a five-year period is 11 per cent, ten patients having died.