Abstract
Since 2014, the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has stated that asthma control should be measured using four questions concerning diurnal and nocturnal symptoms, activity limitation, and rescue medication use. We assessed how asthma control by this definition correlates with airway inflammation and quality of life.
113 asthmatic subjects consecutively recruited from their routine clinical appointment underwent spirometry, sputum induction and answered the Standardised Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ(S)) during a single visit.
43 (38.1%), 37 (32.7%) and 33 (29.2%) subjects had controlled asthma, partly controlled asthma and uncontrolled asthma, respectively. The majority of subjects with controlled asthma (67.4%) had paucigranulocytic sputum. Eosinophilic sputum was present in all levels of asthma control. Although most subjects with controlled asthma (58.1%) achieved an AQLQ(S) score ≥6 (minimal or no impairment), the remaining patients (41.9%) had moderate/some impairment (AQLQ(S) score <6 and ≥3) due to activity impairment and environmental exposure.
The present GINA definition of current symptom control reflects control of airway inflammation. However, quality of life impairment can be present even in these patients. Measuring quality of life may provide useful information when evaluating asthma control.
Abstract
Quality of life impairment can be present even in patients with controlled asthma and controlled airway inflammation http://ow.ly/RCmz30n4EUT
Footnotes
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Author contributions: C.C. Rocha, M.M.M. Pizzichini and E. Pizzichini developed the study protocol. All authors critically revised the manuscript with important intellectual contributions. All authors approved the final version.
Conflict of interest: M.M.M. Pizzichini has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: C.C. Rocha has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M.G. de Souza Tavares has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: L.J.M. Steidle has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: R. Maureci da Silva has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: F. dal Pizzol has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: P.G. Gibson reports receiving grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, GSK and Novartis, outside the submitted work.
Conflict of interest: E. Pizzichini has nothing to disclose.
Support statement: This study was supported by the NUPAIVA Research Center and CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), Brazil.
- Received September 3, 2018.
- Accepted December 3, 2018.
- Copyright ©ERS 2019
This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licence 4.0.