SummaryBackgroundIn order to understand the medical decision taken during the intaial visit of a new asthmatic patient, a group experts designed an expert system which provides conclusions about severity, precipiting factors and treatment. Rules for atopy and the assesment of allergic factors have been discussed and implementedin the expert system. Conclusion about severity have been yet validated using an appropriate methodology.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate a sample of 471 patients according to conclusions regarding atopy.MethodsA total of 471 cases report forms (CRf) was filled in for adult asthmatic outpatients, seen for the first time in our clinic without emergency situtations. Data of each CRF were used by the expert systemto draw conclusion. The expert systsm discerns threee patterns fir atopy, yes, possible or no. The variables known to reflect different features according to the classification of asthma as atopic or not have been studied. The Variables used in the rules for atopy, obviously linked to the conclusion, were not completed. For many medical problem no unique objectives solution esixts and this is why a group of patients with possible atomy was introduced.ResultsPatients with atopy had less severe asthama (P=0.01), a better FEV1 value (P=0.0007)and showed their first symptoms of asthama erlier (P=0.00001)than patients without atopy.ConclusionThe Characteristics of the group studied here are consistent with the literature. This could be considered as an indirect validation of the expert system. Moreover, Patients with possible atopy show intermediate findings for these variables and it is possible to suggest a‘dose‐effect’relatio
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