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Bronchial asthma: lack of relationships between allergic factors, illness severity and psychosocial variables in adult patients attending an asthma clinic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Bruce J. Spittle  and
Malcolm R. Sears
Bruce J. Spittle*
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychological Medicine and Medicine, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand
Malcolm R. Sears
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychological Medicine and Medicine, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr B. Spittle, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 10011, Halfway Bush, Dunedin., New Zealand.
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Synopsis

The relationships between illness severity, allergy as indicated by serum total immunoglobulin E, and various psychological and social factors were studied in 66 adult asthmatics. No substantial relationships were found between these factors. An earlier onset of illness before 3 years was associated with a higher serum IgE. These results do not support the commonly held concept that asthma is a ‘psychosomatic’ disorder.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , November 1984 , pp. 847 - 852
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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