1. Distinguishing characteristics of difficult-to-control asthma in inner-city children and adolescents 
Jacqueline A. Pongracic, MD, Rebecca Z. Krouse, MS, Denise C. Babineau, MS, PhD, Edward M. Zoratti, MD, Robyn T. Cohen, MD, MPH, Robert A. Wood, MD, Gurjit K. Khurana Hershey, MD, PhD, Carolyn M. Kercsmar, MD, Rebecca S. Gruchalla, MD, PhD, Meyer Kattan, MD, Stephen J. Teach, MD, MPH, Christine C. Johnson, PhD, MPH, Leonard B. Bacharier, MD, James E. Gern, MD, Steven M. Sigelman, RN, MHA, Peter J. Gergen, MD, MPH, Alkis Togias, MD, Cynthia M. Visness, PhD, William W. Busse, MD, Andrew H. Liu, MD 
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 
Volume 138, Issue 4, Pages (October 2016)
DOI: /j.jaci
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Terms and Conditions

2. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2016 138, 1030-1041DOI: (10
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology  , DOI: ( /j.jaci )
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Terms and Conditions

3. Fig 1
Schematic of APIC study design: flow diagram illustrating (1) screening visit; (2) clinic visits; (3) definition of the easy-to-control, indeterminate, and difficult-to-control groups based on controller treatment step throughout the study; and (4) domains used to group characteristics measured on each participant throughout the study.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology  , DOI: ( /j.jaci )
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Terms and Conditions

4. Fig 2
CONSORT diagram: flow diagram illustrating the number of subjects screened, as well as the number of participants in the full APIC cohort and included in the analytic sample.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology  , DOI: ( /j.jaci )
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Terms and Conditions

5. Fig 3
Controller treatment step for the easy-to-control and difficult-to-control groups over 12 months. Green and blue lines (shaded areas) indicate means (95% CIs) of controller treatment step for the easy-to-control and difficult-to-control groups, respectively, over 12 months.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology  , DOI: ( /j.jaci )
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Terms and Conditions

6. Fig 4
Seasonal variation in clinical severity measures in the easy-to-control, indeterminate, and difficult-to-control groups. Green and blue lines (shaded areas) indicate means or probabilities (95% CIs) of clinical severity measures for the easy-to-control and difficult-to-control groups, respectively, over 12 months. Clinical severity measures are the Composite Asthma Severity Index (CASI) component measuring day symptoms and albuterol use in the last 2 weeks (0-3 points), the CASI component measuring nighttime symptoms and albuterol use in the last 2 weeks (0-3 points), the FEV1/FVC ratio (×100), and the monthly incidence of exacerbations, as defined by prednisone use.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology  , DOI: ( /j.jaci )
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Terms and Conditions

7. Fig 5
Variable importance plot of characteristics (with and without pulmonary physiology variables) distinguishing the difficult-to-control from easy-to-control groups. Circles plot median z scores for each variable, a measure of importance obtained from Boruta, a feature selection algorithm in which higher values indicate a higher level of importance. Solid blue circles indicate variables confirmed as being relevant to distinguishing the difficult-to-control from easy-to-control groups. Pink and green circles indicate variables that are tentative or rejected, respectively, and are not relevant to distinguishing between the difficult-to-control from easy-to-control groups.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology  , DOI: ( /j.jaci )
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Terms and Conditions