Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis

Abstract
• Eighty-four patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) were evaluated for a total of 294 patientyears with a mean observation period of 3.7 years and classified by the stage of ABPA. The largest percentage of patients were in the stage IV (corticosteroid-dependent asthma stage) group. The next largest percentage were in the stage V (fibrotic, end-stage lung disease) group. Of the latter 24 patients, eight had died. In addition, we describe 13 patients with all serologic characteristics of ABPA but without central bronchiectasis. We propose that these patients have seropositive ABPA and represent the earliest cases of it that can be diagnosed in contrast with ABPA with central bronchiectasis in which lung damage is already present. (Arch Intern Med1986;146:916-918)