Real-life prospective study on asthma control in Italy: cross-sectional phase results.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of partly controlled and uncontrolled asthmatic patients, to evaluate quality of life and healthcare resource consumption.


METHODS
Cross-sectional phase followed by a 12-month prospective phase. Asthma Control Test and the EQ-5D were used.


RESULTS
2853 adult patients recruited in 56 Hospital Respiratory Units in Italy were evaluated: 64.4% had controlled asthma, 15.8% partly controlled asthma and 19.8% were uncontrolled. The mean (SD) EQ-5D score was 0.86 (0.17) in controlled, 0.75 (0.20) in partly controlled and 0.69 (0.23) in uncontrolled patients (p<0.001 between groups). The number of patients requiring hospitalization or emergency room visits was lower in controlled (1.8% and 1.6%, respectively) than in partly controlled (5.1% and 11.5%) and uncontrolled (6.4% and 18.6%). A combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and a long-acting beta-2 agonist was the reported therapy by 56.0% of patients, with the rate of controlled asthma and improved quality of life being higher in patients on extrafine beclomethasone/formoterol compared to budesonide/formoterol (p<0.05) and fluticasone/salmeterol (p<0.05 for quality of life).


CONCLUSIONS
Asthma control is achieved in a good proportion of Italian patients. Differences may be detected in a real-life setting in favor of extrafine beclomethasone/formoterol combination.
Thoracopulmonary Department, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Cá Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza n. 28, 20122 Milan, Italy.
Luigi
L
Allegra
Giovanni
G
Cremonesi
Giuseppe
G
Girbino
Eleonora
E
Ingrassia
Serafino
S
Marsico
Gabriele
G
Nicolini
Claudio
C
Terzano
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019819:Budesonide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004983:Ethanolamines; D019819:Budesonide; D001507:Beclomethasone; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate