title: Intrapatient symptom variability in adults and children with asthma: results of a survey.
abstract: The objective of this survey was to evaluate variability of symptoms in adult and pediatric patients with persistent asthma. Prospective participants from a US database of patients with asthma were invited to complete an Internet-based survey designed to assess the occurrence of asthma symptoms during the past year. A total of 1311 adult patients and 491 caregivers of pediatric patients were surveyed. Adult patients (18%-30%) and pediatric patients (8%-20%) experienced a variety of symptoms on a daily basis. At least 50% of patients receiving treatment experienced variability in 1 or more symptoms during the previous year. The most common treatment recommendation when asthma symptoms were experienced included changing the number of medication (reliever or controller) inhalations (48% and 55% of adult and pediatric patients, respectively) or adding another medication (31% and 39%). This survey indicates that adult patients and caregivers of pediatric patients report variability in asthma symptoms over time, even when asthma medications are taken.
authors.affiliation: New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York 11568-8000, USA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: Kevin R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Abid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents