EFFECT OF FOLLOW-UP OF ASTHMATIC CHILDREN IN PNEUMOPEDIATRICS ON DISEASE CONTROL.

Introduction: The pneumopediatrics consultation started at CHU-MEL in 2018; follow-up of asthmatic children is a major focus.

Objective: To assess the impact of follow-up on asthma disease control.

Method: This was a prospective cohort study with descriptive and analytical aims from October 2019 to October 2021. All children between three and seventeen years old with a confirmed diagnosis of asthma were included. Those lost to follow-up after the first consultation were excluded and the presence of another associated respiratory or cardiac pathology was also a non-inclusion criterion. GINA 2019 recommendations were used as a reference.

Results: Over the study period, 47 children were included, aged between three and twelve years. The age group most represented at the start of follow-up was under six, with a sex ratio of 0.88. According to the GINA classification, 53.19% of patients had moderate persistent asthma. The majority of children were receiving GINA 2019 level 3 background therapy. Evaluated in 31 patients, follow-up was regular in 22 and asthma was controlled in 16 patients, eight of whom were partly controlled. Factors associated with asthma control were parental history of asthma (p=0.021), regularity of follow-up (p=0.002), and compliance with background treatment (p= 0.009).

Conclusion: Follow-up of children with asthma in the pneumopediatrics (paediatric respirology) department is most likely to have a positive effect on disease control. Patient retention needs to be improved.