Natural History of Asthma

¹ American Thoracic Society
² Division of Respiratory Sciences (Westend Research Laboratories), University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson

The severity of asthma symptoms as judged by responses to the questionnaire correlated highly with persistence of the disease. The strength of this correlation is striking as illustrated by the symptom of frequent attacks of shortness of breath with wheezing. If this symptom was present, a subsequent remission virtually never occurred. A normal FEV₁, presumably indicating less severe disease, favorably influenced the prognosis. Almost half of those with active asthma and a normal initial FEV₁ subsequently met the criteria of a remission. Adults considered to have exasthma frequently relapse unless they are totally free of respiratory symptoms. Adults have a greater chance of both persistence and recurrence of asthma than do children and adolescents.