title: Scheduled asthma management in general practice generally improve asthma control in those who attend.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Successful asthma management involves guideline-based treatment and regular follow-up. We aimed to study the level of disease control in asthmatic individuals managed by their GP and a dedicated nurse when using a systematic asthma consultation guide based on Global Initiative of Asthma guidelines (GINA guidelines).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged 18-79 years with doctor-diagnosed asthma were included. When managing the patients, the clinics were instructed to follow a consultation guide based on the principles of the GINA guidelines. This included evaluation of symptoms, treatment, compliance, lung function, and a scheduled follow-up appointment based on the level of asthma control:
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the initial visit (baseline), 684 patients (36.8%) were classified as well-controlled, 740 (39.8%) as partly controlled and 434 (23.4%) as uncontrolled. 1784 patients had been offered a follow-up visit and 623 (35%) had attended. A response analysis was performed, and those participating were older (46 versus 45 years, p < 0.01), whereas other variables were similar. A higher level of asthma control was found at the follow-up visit compared to the baseline visit (uncontrolled asthma 29.7% and 16.5%, respectively, p < 0.001). At the time of the follow-up visit, changes in treatment strategies were found (p < 0.01), and furthermore, level of lung function improved at the follow-up visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although most asthmatic individuals received asthma treatment, a substantial number still were partly or poorly controlled. The overall asthma control improved significantly when a systematic asthma management approach was introduced and applied by dedicated health care staff.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Respiratory Medicine L, Respiratory Research Unit, Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. backer@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Backer
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bornemann
authors.forename: Dorte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ommen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D058006:General Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents