What lies behind relief and worsening of asthma symptoms? A register-based study of adults with asthma and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in Finland.
OBJECTIVE
To examine how subjects with relief or worsening of asthma symptoms differ in terms of gender, age, severity and duration of asthma, comorbidity, and difficulties with medication and daily life.


METHODS
A postal inquiry among a sample of 6000 adults with clinically diagnosed asthma and/or other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.


RESULTS
Relief of asthma symptoms over a 12-month period was associated with a recent asthma diagnosis, within five years, in both sexes. Lack of current smoking and lack of problems in using anti-asthmatic treatment were associated with a positive outcome in men, and mild asthma and living alone associated with a positive outcome in women. Severe and moderate asthma predicted worse symptoms in both sexes, as did other obstructive pulmonary diseases, living alone, and medication problems amongst men.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with asthma should be cared for comprehensively, requiring consideration of both clinical and psychosocial factors that can modify the course of the disease.
Ikäheimo
Pekka
P
Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, PO Box 5000, FIN 90014, Finland. pekka.ikaheimo@oulu.fi
Hartikainen
Sirpa
S
Tuuponen
Tuili
T
Hakko
Helinä
H
Kiuttu
Jorma
J
Klaukka
Timo
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents