title: [Prevalence of asthma consultations in general practice].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few data from primary care settings are available about asthma prevalence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of asthma consultations in general practice, and to describe their characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a multicenter, cross-sectional national study, conducted in general practice. Investigators were 54 interns from 27 medical schools. Between December 2011 and April 2012, they collected and entered variables specific to each consultation over a period of 20 days from a structured electronic health record using the International classification of primary care (ICPC-2) together with data about their trainer(s).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were recorded for 20,613 consultations with 45,582 consultation outcomes described. Asthma represented 348 (1.69%) of consultations. The presence of an asthma code was associated with fewer reasons for the consultation, but with more processes of care. Forty-two percent of other consultation results associated with asthma in the same consultation concerned chronic diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that asthma remains underdiagnosed in general practice in France. In order to address this problem, the development of validated diagnostic tools that can be used in general practice settings, and a better access to spirometry, may be directions to explore in future research.
authors.affiliation: Département universitaire de médecine générale, faculté de médecine de Rouen, université de Rouen, 22, boulevard Gambetta, 76000 Rouen, France. Electronic address: matthieu.schuers@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuers
authors.affiliation: Service d'accueil et d'urgences, centre hospitalier intercommunal Elbeuf-Louviers-Val-de-Reuil, 76231 Elbeuf, France.
authors.forename: P-A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Chopinaud
authors.affiliation: Département universitaire de médecine générale, faculté de médecine de Rouen, université de Rouen, 22, boulevard Gambetta, 76000 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guihard
authors.affiliation: Département universitaire de médecine générale, faculté de médecine de Rouen, université de Rouen, 22, boulevard Gambetta, 76000 Rouen, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mercier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asthma; Asthme; Comorbidities; Comorbidités; Diagnosis; Diagnostic; Epidemiology; General practice; Médecine générale; Épidémiologie