Abstract
Introduction: Individuals with asthma may experience symptoms, despite achieving guideline-defined control. We report data on symptoms and exacerbations in patients with GINA-defined asthma control and those with perceived control from the largest European survey of asthma.
Methods: Online surveys were conducted with 8000 patients with asthma (aged 18–50 years, ≥2 prescriptions in the past 2 years), recruited via validated consumer panels from 11 countries.
Results: Mean age of respondents was 35 years; 61% were women. GINA-defined levels of controlled, partially controlled and uncontrolled asthma were 20%, 35% and 45%, respectively. No respondent with GINA-defined control reported symptoms or reliever inhaler use on ≥3 days, or night-time awakening on ≥1 day, in the past week; however, 35% of those with controlled asthma and 64% of those with partially controlled asthma reported symptoms on 1 or 2 days in the previous week. Of those with GINA-defined control, 7% had been treated in A&E in the past year, compared with 13% of those with partially controlled and 40% with uncontrolled asthma. Notably, of those with controlled asthma, 24% had ≥1 acute asthma exacerbation (requiring oral steroid use) in the past year. Moreover, 43% of those who perceived their asthma as controlled had an exacerbation. Of those reporting exacerbations (n=3516), 75% did not consider their asthma to be serious.
Conclusions: Asthma control in Europe remains sub optimal. Patients with GINA-defined control continue to have symptoms and exacerbations, highlighting a need for initiatives to improve asthma management. This may also suggest a need to reassess the language used to describe asthma control.
- © 2013 ERS