P74 - Brittle asthma: a clinical phenotype of severe asthma

Background The term Brittle Asthma was generally used to describe those patients with sudden, severe attacks, usually out of the blue. Recently the following classification was suggested: type 1 characterized by a maintained wide PEF variability despite medical therapy, and type 2 characterized by sudden acute attacks on a background of apparently normal airway function. Patients who develop sudden-onset near-fatal asthma seem to have massive allergen exposure and emotional distress. Diminished perception of dyspnea and reduced compliance with anti-inflammatory therapy have been associated with fatal or near-fatal events.