Gabriella Guarnieri, Veronica Batani, Gianenrico Senna, Annarita Dama, Andrea Vianello, Marco Caminati
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: Asthma exacerbations and, more rarely, fatal asthma attacks have been reported in mild asthma patients, suggesting poor disease control and awareness of its potential burden. Our study aimed to explore outside the hospital/specialist setting the perspective and disease treatment behavior of patients self-reporting a mild asthma diagnosis.
Methods: Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) technique was used to investigate the identified study population. Questions about diagnosis, symptoms, comorbidities, treatment strategy, ongoing assessments, and quality of life were administered.
Results: Overall, 258 patients were considered for the analysis. As the most relevant results, 22% of them reported severe respiratory symptoms, 52% experienced at least one exacerbation/year, and 7% needed Emergency Room care. Sixty-six percent of the respondents assumed as needing short-acting bronchodilators only. Of note, 22% of patients were using oral steroids (OCS) intermittently and 72% of them considered their quality of life unsatisfying.
Conclusion: Outside the hospital/specialist setting, mild asthma burden is still not negligible and the treatment approach is not correct. In particular, the reported OCS use is disproportionate. Our data suggest that mild asthma, especially when self-assessed might be other than mild, suggesting that efforts to increase disease awareness, improve the disease control limiting the OCS abuse are required.
期刊介绍:
Coverage will include the following key areas:
- Prospects for new and emerging therapeutics
- Epidemiology of disease
- Preventive strategies
- All aspects of COPD, from patient self-management to systemic effects of the disease and comorbidities
- Improved diagnostic methods, including imaging techniques, biomarkers and physiological tests.
- Advances in the treatment of respiratory infections and drug resistance issues
- Occupational and environmental factors
- Progress in smoking intervention and cessation methods
- Disease and treatment issues for defined populations, such as children and the elderly
- Respiratory intensive and critical care
- Updates on the status and advances of specific disease areas, including asthma, HIV/AIDS-related disease, cystic fibrosis, COPD and sleep-disordered breathing morbidity