Assessment of Asthma Mimics Among Newly Diagnosed Bronchial Asthma Patients

The diagnosis of bronchial asthma relies on the existence of characteristic respiratory symptoms which are reversible and variable (diurnal and seasonal) with variable airflow limitation. Unfortunately, bronchial asthma may mimic different pulmonary and non-pulmonary diseases regarding their similar clinical presentations so accurate assessment is required to exclude other possible diagnosis before confirming the diagnosis of bronchial asthma.

There are various phenotypes of asthma as; atopic, non-atopic, and late-onset asthma, which may not be easily diagnosed in the community. Also, asthma may show intermittent versus a relapsing /remitting course, so it is difficult to be diagnosed by a single physician visit. Different studies have found that patients with bronchial asthma were treated empirically without full assessment either to ensure or exclude the asthma diagnosis.

Some symptoms as chest wheezes and breathlessness may be presented commonly in bronchial asthma and other mimic diseases as; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, congestive heart failure, vocal cord disorders, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, endobronchial tumours, pulmonary embolism, aspiration syndromes, tracheal compression by a mediastinal mass and tracheomalacia. So, different physicians should put in mind those asthma mimics to be differentiated from asthmatic patients specially whose asthma symptoms are poorly controlled by anti- asthmatic medications.

Inclusion criteria

• 1) Patients aged ≥ 18 years who had newly clinically diagnosed bronchial asthma (the diagnosis was achieved in the previous one year, to allow us to get the previous diagnostic reports) whether the diagnosis of asthma was initially made based on clinical assessment alone or both clinical and spirometric assessment. 2) Both sexes were included.

Exclusion criteria

• 1) Patients who were using long-term oral steroids that may mask the diagnosis; 2) unable to do spirometry or contra-indicated. 3) pregnancy. 4) Definite diagnosis of other chest diseases.