Disease control in asthmatic children seen in private practice in Switzerland.
BACKGROUND
Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease in Switzerland with a prevalence of 10%. Asthma has a high economic burden accounting for high medical costs. Assessment of disease control is likely to be of help in the implementation of strategies to improve asthma. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate asthma control and therapy regimens among children in private practice.


METHODS
We assessed asthma control as well as therapy regimens in 575 asthmatic children in an experience programme in Switzerland by using an abbreviated questionnaire based on the asthma control questionnaire and the child health questionnaire on Visit 1 and Visit 2.


RESULTS
Good asthma control at Visit 1 was only present in 25.7% of asthmatic children. Occasional asthma symptoms, limitation of physical activity, nocturnal awakening and anxiety of the parent was present in 80.5%, 41.2%, 46.8% and 57% of the children, respectively. After adjustment of therapy regimens at Visit 1, mainly by adding a leukotriene receptor antagonist, asthma control was reported to be much better in 53.4% of the children at Visit 2.


CONCLUSIONS
As asthma control is inadequately achieved within a major portion of asthmatic children, it is imperative to find measures to improve asthma control and hence, to reduce the burden of disease.
Moeller
Alexander
A
Swiss Paediatric Respiratory Research Group (SPRRG), Division of Respiratory Medicine University Children's Hospital Basel, Zürich and Alpine Children's Clinic Davos, Switzerland. alexander.moeller@kispi.unizh.ch
Steurer-Stey
Claudia
C
Suter
Herbert
H
Hofer
Michael
M
Peter
Manuela
M
Brooks-Wildhaber
Joanne
J
Hammer
Jürg
J
Wildhaber
Johannes H
JH
D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011331:Private Practice; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland
D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists