title: [The costs of asthma in France and the economic implications of its level of control].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of asthma is increasing in France and the proportion of patients with poorly controlled or uncontrolled asthma remains significant. The economic impact of this public health issue is still poorly documented and this is addressed in the present literature review.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Older identified studies aimed to estimate the use of asthma-related health care resources according to the asthma severity. Only more recent studies have taken into account the level of control of the disease as well. A consistent finding was that asthma-related medical costs were highly dependent both on the degree of severity and level of control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies identified in this review used the recommendations current at the time of their publication to define severity or levels of control in connection to asthma-related medical consumption, which leads to important methodological variation among them. Economic evaluation which is generally based on annual consumption estimates is hampered by the fact that the level of control reflects only a short-term situation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although data in the literature are consistent in showing that improved control of the disease significantly reduces the costs of its management, there is a need for economic studies based on recent definitions of control and using appropriate methodology.
authors.affiliation: CEMKA-EVAL, 43, boulevard du Maréchal-Joffre, 92340 Bourg-la-Reine, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gadenne
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pribil
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chouaid
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vergnenegre
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Detournay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005602:France; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents