Symptoms, severity and asthma control in 5-14 y-old Lebanon school children.
BACKGROUND
This study addressed symptoms' profile, severity and determinants of asthma control in school-aged patients (5-14 y) across Lebanon.


METHODS
It is a cross-sectional study, applied on school children with physician-diagnosed asthma (PDA), divided into two groups: those who were on controllers (C+) and those who were not (NC).


RESULTS
Out of 5544 children, 275 (4.96%) had PDA. The C+ group (32.7%) had higher mother's education than the NC group (45.9%) (p = 0.037). NC children were more frequently found in public versus private schools (p = 0.0001). Higher frequencies of regular visits to the doctor were noted in the C+ compared to NC group. In C+ group, 90% were on reliever and controller, and 10% just on one controller. A trend for more severity in the C+ group was noted compared to the NC group. An impact of asthma on daily activities was reported by 40% in the C+ group versus 34% in the NC group.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of PDA in 5-14 y school children was quite adapted according to the recommendations. However, total control was reported in low percentages of patients reflecting universal discrepancy between evidence base medicine and real life.
Waked
Mirna
M
Department of Medicine, St. George University Hospital Medical Center & Faculty of Medicine, Balamand University, Beirut, Lebanon. mirnawaked@hotmail.com
Salameh
Pascale
P
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector; D012574:Schools / Q000145:classification; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents