Treatment improves quality of life in patients with poor perception of asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To find out whether symptom-free asthmatic patients with impaired lung function, improve with regard to quality of life after treatment adjustment.


METHODS
Forty-two primary care asthma patients without symptoms were divided into two groups: (A) with normal lung function (n=22); and (B) with impaired lung function (n=20). Lung function, symptoms and quality of life were assessed before and after a 3-month interval. In group B (but not in group A), treatment was adjusted on the first visit.


RESULTS
Quality of life was significantly worse in group B at visit 1 and was improved up to the same level as in group A after 3 months of treatment adjustment. Quality of life did not change in group A during the 3 months of observation. Lung function improved significantly only in group B but did not reach the same level as in group A.


CONCLUSIONS
Adjustment of therapy improves quality of life even in patients who do not experience symptoms. Asthma treatment should therefore be guided by both symptoms and lung function.
Ehrs
Per-Olof
PO
Lung and Allergy Research, Division of Physiology, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
Larsson
Kjeu
K