Learning curve for bronchial thermoplasty

Abstract

Overall, response to BT has been described in terms of improvement in asthma symptom questionnaires, such as the ACQ and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. These are important but subjective measures, and the data presented here show that dichoto-mizing response based on one parameter alone risks mis-classification of some patients. In conclusion, there was no evidence in our hands that increasing operator experience improved patient outcomes after BT. This implies that BT is an easy technique for the experienced bronchoscopist to learn. Furthermore, it suggests that non-response to BT corresponds with patient-related, rather than operator-related, determinants.