Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This pilot study explores the reported symptoms in African Americans and Caucasians with asthma. METHODS: Asthma patients in an inner-city pulmonary clinic were given a brief questionnaire of asthma symptoms and the BORG scale, followed by spirometry. RESULTS: African Americans were less likely to report nocturnal awakenings (67% vs. 100%; p = 0.037), complain of dyspnea (33% vs. 75%; p = 0.038), or experience chest pain (13% vs. 75%; p = 0.002) than Caucasians. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate that there are clinically significant differences in the reporting of asthma symptoms between African Americans and Caucasians.