Authors: Agarwal, R.; Aggarwal, A.N.; Gupta, D.; Jindal, S.K.

Source: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 13, Number 8, August 2009 , pp. 936-944(9)

Publisher: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Aspergillus hypersensitivity (AH) and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) in bronchial asthma is reported differently in various studies.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of AH and ABPA in asthma using a systematic review.

METHODS: We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for studies published from 1965 to 2008 and included studies that report the prevalence of AH/ABPA in asthma. We calculated the proportions with 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess the prevalence of AH/ABPA in the individual studies and pooled the results using a random effects model.

RESULTS: Our search yielded 21 eligible studies. The prevalence of AH in bronchial asthma was 28% (95%CI 24-34), and was higher with an intradermal test vs. a prick test (28.7% vs. 24.8%, P = 0.002), but did not vary with the type of antigen used (indigenous or commercial). The prevalence of ABPA in bronchial asthma and Aspergillus-hypersensitive bronchial asthma was respectively 12.9% (95%CI 7.9-18.9) and 40% (95%CI 27-53). There was a wide variation in the criteria used for the diagnosis of ABPA. There was significant statistical heterogeneity assessed by the I² test and Cochran Q statistic in all the outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of AH and ABPA in patients with bronchial asthma. Careful screening should therefore be performed in all patients with bronchial asthma. Intradermal tests are more sensitive than prick tests for the diagnosis of AH. Finally, there is a need to adopt a uniform methodology and criteria for the diagnosis of AH/ABPA.

Keywords: ABPA; Aspergillus hypersensitivity; allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis; prevalence; meta-analysis

Document Type: Review article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

Publication date: 2009-08-01

More about this publication?

• The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease publishes articles on all aspects of lung health, including public health-related issues such as training programmes, cost-benefit analysis, legislation, epidemiology, intervention studies and health systems research. The IJTLD is dedicated to the continuing education of physicians and health personnel and the dissemination of information on tuberculosis and lung health world-wide.

  Certain IJTLD articles are selected for translation into French, Spanish, Chinese or Russian. They are available on the Union website

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Internal Medicine
• By this author: Agarwal, R. ;  Aggarwal, A.N. ;  Gupta, D. ;  Jindal, S.K.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers