[Characteristics of Mexican asthmatic subjects attending an outpatient service].
BACKGROUND
Despite the high prevalence of asthma in Mexico, studies describing general characteristics of these patients are scarce.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the sociodemographic, clinical and respiratory functional profile of asthmatic patients attending for the first time the outpatient service of a tertiary-level hospital, as well as to investigate treatments already received and the abandonment rate.


METHODS
Adolescent and adult asthmatic subjects seen from February 2000 to November 2002 in the outpatient service of the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, in Mexico City, were prospectively studied. Sociodemographic information was gathered and clinical and spirometric evaluations were carried out. The severity of the disease was classified according to international criteria.


RESULTS
A total of 1403 patients between 12 and 82 years of age, with predominance of the female gender, were included in the analysis. An 88.7% of patients had the mildest forms of the disease, 10% had moderate asthma, and 1.3% had severe asthma. While 21.4% had never received anti-asthma treatment, about one third of the remaining patients had received corticosteroids, independently of the asthma severity, indicating an over-treatment of the intermittent form of the disease and an under-treatment of persistent forms. A high abandonment rate (65.7%) was observed. A positive bronchodilator test was observed in 30.3% of patients with intermittent asthma, though this proportion increased to about 67% in those with moderate and severe asthma.


CONCLUSIONS
Mildest forms of the disease predominate among asthmatic patients attending for the first time an outpatient service, with a still very high frequency of inadequate use of corticosteroids.
Fernández-Vega
Margarita
M
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Departamento de Consulta Externa y Urgencias, México. fvmarg@prodigy.net.mx
Vargas
Mario H
MH
Regalado-Pineda
Justino
J
Chapela-Mendoza
Rocio
R
Salas-Hernández
Jorge
J
D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004630:Emergencies / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents