title: Determinants and impact of suboptimal asthma control in Europe: The INTERNATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT ON ASTHMA CONTROL (LIAISON) study.
abstract: According to the Global Initiative of Asthma, the aim of asthma treatment is to gain and maintain control. In the INTERNATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT ON ASTHMA CONTROL (LIAISON) study, we evaluated the level of asthma control and quality of life (QoL), as well as their determinants and impact in a population consulting specialist settings.
  
  
  
  LIAISON is a prospective, multicentre, observational study with a cross-sectional and a 12-month longitudinal phase. Adults with an asthma diagnosis since at least 6 months, receiving the same asthma treatment in the 4 weeks before enrolment were included. Asthma control was assessed with the 6-item Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and QoL with the MiniAsthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniAQLQ).
  
  
  
  Overall, 8111 asthmatic patients were enrolled in 12 European countries. Asthma control was suboptimal in 56.5 % of patients and it was associated with poorer asthma-related QoL, higher risk of exacerbations and greater consumption of healthcare resources. Variables associated with suboptimal control were age, gender, obesity, smoking and comorbidities. Major determinants of poor asthma control were seasonal worsening and persisting exposure to allergens/irritants/triggers, followed by treatment-related issues.
  
  
  
  The cross-sectional phase results confirm that suboptimal control is frequent and has a high individual and economic impact.
  
  
  
  The clinicaltrials.gov identifier is NCT01567280 .
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Diseases Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS-AOU San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braido
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.|Departments of Epidemiology and Respiratory Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brusselle
authors.affiliation: Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Via Palermo 26/A, Parma, 43122, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guastalla
authors.affiliation: Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Via Palermo 26/A, Parma, 43122, Italy. e.ingrassia@chiesi.com.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ingrassia
authors.affiliation: Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Via Palermo 26/A, Parma, 43122, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicolini
authors.affiliation: Centre of Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation, Hôtel-Dieu, Groupe Hospitalier Cochin-Broca-Hôtel-Dieu, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario de la Princesa (IISP), Universidad Autónonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Joan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.affiliation: Facharztforum Fürth, Fürth, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Worth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D016527:Drug Costs; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents