Study design: interventional
Patients selection:
Seventy-four severe asthma patients, aged between 18 and 65 years old were recruited from the outpatient clinics of the Pulmonary Division of the University of São Paolo Hospital.
Severe asthma were defined according to GINA. Intervention: after 2 weeks screening period patients were treated with high inhaled corticosteroid dose plus long acting beta 2 agonist during 12 weeks plus oral corticosteroid ( prednisone 40 mg/day) during 2 weeks.
Procedures ( baseline, after 2 weeks and 12 weeks): asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), asthma control (ACT) test, lung function test, quality of life questionnaire (SGRQ and SF-36), exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), induced sputum (IS). After 12 weeks patients underwent the following evaluation: Upper Digestive Endoscopy, Esophageal 24hs pHmetry, High Resolution Chest Tomography, Nasoscope exam,Bronchofibroscopy with endobronchial biopsy.
