title: The ARGA study with general practitioners: impact of medical education on asthma/rhinitis management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of a medical education course (MEC) on the behaviour of general practitioners (GPs) to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 1820 patients (mean age 41 yrs ± 17 yrs) with asthma or AR were collected by 107 Italian GPs: 50% attended a MEC and 50% didn't (group B). The adherence for AR and asthma treatment was evaluated according to ARIA and GINA guidelines (GL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  AR and asthma were diagnosed in 78% and 56% of patients; 34% had concomitant AR and asthma. Regardless of the MEC, the adherence to GL was significantly higher for AR than for asthma treatment (52 versus 19%). Group B GPs were more compliant to ARIA guidelines in the treatment of mild AR, whereas group A were more compliant in the treatment of moderate-severe AR; the adherence didn't differ between the groups for AR patients with comorbid asthma. Adherence to GINA GL for asthma treatment did not differ between GPs of groups A and B, independently from concomitant AR. Though insignificantly, group A were more compliant to GINA GL in the treatment of patients with only severe persistent asthma (63 versus 46%) as group B were for patients with severe persistent asthma and concomitant AR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GPs often tend to treat patients independently from GL. The impact of a single MEC did not improve adherence to GL in treating less severe AR and asthma patients, while there was a trend towards the opposite attitude in more severe AR patients without concomitant asthma.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Environmental Epidemiology Unit, CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via Trieste, 41 - 56126 Pisa, Italy. baldas@ifc.cnr.it
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baldacci
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maio
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simoni
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerrai
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarno
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Silvi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Pede
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borbotti
authors.forename: Anna Paola
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Pala
authors.forename: Megon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bresciani
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viegi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000592:standards; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006633:Histamine Antagonists