title: Close correlation between anxiety, depression, and asthma control.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the correlation between patients' characteristics, including anxiety and depression, and the level of asthma control evaluated by asthma control test (ACT), a self-administered validated questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study on asthmatic outpatients of three Italian hospitals. Demographic data, spirometry, anxiety and depression scores as well as the level of asthma control from 315 patients were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with poorly controlled asthma were more frequently women, older, with a worse pulmonary function, obese, more anxious and/or more depressed. Four different independent factors associated with poor asthma control evaluated by ACT have been found: FEV(1)<60% (odds ratio, OR: 6.52), anxiety (OR: 3.76), age > or =65 years (OR: 2.69), and depression (OR: 2.45). The presence of anxiety and depression was associated with a higher healthcare utilization. Finally, we found a high level of agreement between ACT and multidimensional GINA approach in evaluating asthma control, with a concordance in 239 patients (81% of the population).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a close correlation between anxiety and depression, and a poor asthma. A better understanding of this association may have major clinical implications, mainly in patients with poor controlled asthma in whom the presence of anxiety and depression should be investigated.
authors.affiliation: Clinica di Malattie dell'Apparato Respiratorio, Ospedale San Paolo, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. fabiano.dimarco@unimi.it
authors.forename: Fabiano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verga
authors.forename: Pierachille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santus
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giovannelli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Busatto
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Girbino
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Centanni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents