Fungal sensitisation is closely associated with asthma; however, the correlation between fungi and asthma severity remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the severity of asthma in 100 patients with asthma due to fungal and non-fungal allergens. A total of 100 outpatients and inpatients with asthma were selected from 2010 to 2011 and were divided into three groups (mild, moderate and severe) according to their clinical manifestations, lung function results and treatment situations. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to five fungal allergens and seven non-fungal allergens in the serum of all patients. The levels of sIgE to Aspergillus, Penicillium and Candida albicans allergens in the severe group were significantly higher compared with those in the moderate and mild groups (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively); those of the moderate group were significantly higher compared with those of the mild group (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed for the levels of sIgE to Alternaria alternata among the three groups. sIgE to Cladosporium herbarum was not present for all three groups. No significant difference was observed for the levels of sIgE to non-fungal allergens among the three groups. Fungal allergens are closely correlated with the severity of asthma, whereas non-fungal allergens are not.
Keywords: asthma; fungal sensitisation; specific immunoglobulin E.