[European Asthma Study. Identifying and treating young adults with epidemiological criteria for asthma in five areas of Spain. Spanish Group of the European Asthma Study].
OBJECTIVE
Asthma's great impact on public health stems from its chronicity and to high prevalence among all age groups and both sexes. To estimate the appropriateness of treatment and management of asthma in Spain during the period of 1991 and 1992, we analyzed data from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS).


METHODS
The ECRHS was undertaken with a random sample of 20-to-44-year-olds in Albacete, Barcelona, Galdakao, Huelva and Oviedo. In total, 181 individuals with asthma were identified. Current asthma was defined as the presence of respiratory symptoms associated with asthma within the past 12 months and a positive methacholine challenge test.


RESULTS
Subjects who were unaware of having asthma made up 57.5% (CI: 49.9-64.8%), and 35.9% (CI: 27.9-42.3%) were not following any specific treatment. Among asthmatics who reported having continuous or frequent respiratory symptoms, 25.9% (CI: 15.3-39.0%) were not following any treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Over half the individuals with asthma in 1991 to 1993 were unaware of having the disease at the time of the study or of ever having had it, and approximately one third were not in treatment. The delivery of appropriate treatment in asthma generally, and in asthma with continuous or frequent respiratory symptoms, was markedly inadequate during the period studied.
Martínez-Moratalla
J
J
Sección de Neumología, Hospital General de Albacete.
Almar
E
E
Sunyer
J
J
Ramos
J
J
Pereira
A
A
Payo
F
F
Antó
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
Estudio Europeo del Asma. Identificación y tratamiento de individuos con criterios epidemiólogicos de asma en adultos jóvenes de cinco áreas españolas. Grupo Español del Estudio Europeo del Asma.