Asthma control in the Asia-Pacific region: the Asthma Insights and Reality in Asia-Pacific Study.
BACKGROUND
Few data on asthma management are available for the Asia-Pacific region.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined asthma symptoms, health care use, and management in the Asia-Pacific region.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional survey, followed by administration of a questionnaire in a face-to-face setting in the respondents' homes in their language of choice. Urban centers in 8 areas were surveyed: China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam.


RESULTS
A population sample of 3207 respondents with physician-diagnosed asthma was identified by screening 108,360 households. Daytime asthma symptoms were reported by 51.4% of respondents, and 44.3% reported sleep disturbance caused by asthma in the preceding 4 weeks. At least 2 in every 5 respondents (43.6%) had been hospitalized, attended a hospital emergency department, or made unscheduled emergency visits to other health care facilities for treatment of asthma during the previous 12 months. Overall, 15.3% of respondents reported that they had required admission to the hospital for asthma treatment. Asthma severity correlated with the frequencies of hospitalizations and emergency visits for asthma in the past year. Even in those patients with severe persistent asthma, 34.3% regarded their disease as being well or completely controlled. Current use of an inhaled corticosteroid was reported by only 13.6% of respondents, and 56.3% used quick-relief bronchodilators. Absence from school and work in the past year was reported by 36.5% of children and 26.5% of adults.


CONCLUSIONS
As reported for other regions, current levels of asthma control in the Asia-Pacific region fall markedly short of goals specified in international guidelines for asthma management.
Lai
Christopher K W
CK
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ROC.
De Guia
Teresita S
TS
Kim
You-Young
YY
Kuo
Sow-Hsong
SH
Mukhopadhyay
Amartya
A
Soriano
Joan B
JB
Trung
Pham Long
PL
Zhong
Nan Shan
NS
Zainudin
Norzila
N
Zainudin
B M Z
BM
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010139:Pacific Islands; D013806:Theophylline / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D013806:Theophylline