Methods of diagnosis of asthma

Contents:

• Diagnostic criteria for asthma
• Methods of diagnosis of asthma

Today, asthma is an urgent problem of practical public health worldwide. The results of major studies in this area showed an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with this disease, and the mortality rate among them.

Diagnosis of asthma is complex and multi-step process.

The initial stage of diagnosis is to ask the patient (collecting anamnesis) and a clinical examination, which allows in many cases correct diagnosis.

Under questioning implied clarification patient's complaints, as well as identifying the possible evolution of the disease during a certain period of time.

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Diagnostic criteria for asthma

The diagnosis of asthma is facilitated by the use of certain criteria. Diagnostic criteria can be divided into primary and secondary.

The main diagnostic criteria for prognosis of asthma include:

• the presence of the patient periodic attacks expiratory breathlessness, which can take place both spontaneously and under the influence of bronchodilators;
• definition of the type of obstructive respiratory failure during the study in the patient's respiratory process (reduction of peak expiratory flow, FEV1, peak expiratory flow volume);
• the presence of a biological marker (increased content of NO in exhaled air);
• the occurrence of symptoms in a patient with bronchial hyperreactivity using provocative tests (exercise, methacholine, histamine).

Additional diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of asthma include:

• the presence of unmotivated patient coughs during sleep or after exercise, stiffness in the chest, wheezing occurrence;
• a positive skin test to allergens;
• if the patient has hay fever, hay fever, eczema, and similar illnesses in his family;
• the presence in the patient's blood increased levels of total and specific IgE (reagin).

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Methods of diagnosis of asthma

The study of respiratory function in the patient this disease using the above criteria and applying appropriate diagnostic methods is an essential condition for an objective assessment of the degree of the disease, its variability, reversibility and effectiveness of future treatment.

The main methods of diagnosis of asthma include:

• Spirography - graphic registration of lung volume during respiration. Characteristic features of the disease in this method are:

1. Tiffno decrease in the index;
2. decrease in the volume of air forced in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC).

• Pneumotachograph. With this method of diagnosis of asthma determines the peak volumetric flow rate, the maximum volumetric rate of 25%, 50%, 75% and FVC mean velocities.
• Pikfluometriya - asthma diagnostic method based on determining a maximum volumetric rate of air during the peak expiratory flow after full inhalation.

In the diagnosis of the disease, to rule out other diseases, sometimes prescribe a CT scan and chest X-rays. Blood analysis, determination of IgE and other diagnostic methods are optional and do not play a decisive role in the selection of treatment methods.