Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Natural history and classification of early disease by serologic and roentgenographic studies

Arch Intern Med. 1986 May;146(5):916-8. doi: 10.1001/archinte.146.5.916.

Abstract

Eighty-four patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) were evaluated for a total of 294 patient-years with a mean observation period of 3.7 years and classified by the stage of ABPA. The largest percentage of patients were in the stage IV (corticosteroid-dependent asthma stage) group. The next largest percentage were in the stage V (fibrotic, end-stage lung disease) group. Of the latter 24 patients, eight had died. In addition, we describe 13 patients with all serologic characteristics of ABPA but without central bronchiectasis. We propose that these patients have seropositive ABPA and represent the earliest cases of it that can be diagnosed in contrast with ABPA with central bronchiectasis in which lung damage is already present.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Fungal / analysis
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / classification
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / complications
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / diagnosis*
  • Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary / immunology
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / immunology
  • Asthma / drug therapy
  • Asthma / etiology
  • Bronchiectasis / etiology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin E / analysis
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / etiology
  • Radioimmunoassay
  • Skin Tests

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Antibodies, Fungal
  • Immunoglobulin E