Since 2006 there was a plateau in world wide mortality from asthma. Overreliance in Short Acting Beta2 Agonists (SABA) was associated with increased risk of death from asthma. Long acting beta agonists (LABA) alone was not permitted as treatment for asthma as it was determined by FDA by the "black box". By contrast SABA does not have a "black box", despite similar overuse alerts associated with increased risk of death from asthma. the investigators want to know if exist asthmatic subjects that do use another rescue medication; not SABA, and to compare their features, Asthma Control Test (ACT), and lung function in a outpatient facility. First consecutive visits at outpatient Pulmonary Section of asthmatic subjects were described. Asthma Control Test (ACT) that was routinely used to assess asthma and spirometry were performed.
During the period from March 10, 2017 to January 16, 2018 the investigators decided to describe the rescue medication in all new asthmatic subjects that came for a first visit to the outpatient pulmonary department. Patients aged ≥16 years were entered in the study with a a diagnosis of asthma, based on a history of episodic dyspnea and wheezing, and/or documented bronchodilator reversibility in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of 12% and 200 ml according to the National Institutes of Health criteria; to be non- or ex-smoker of less than 10 pack-yr, to be neither pregnant nor breast-feeding and to be capable of completing Asthma control test and spirometry. Consecutive patients visiting the outpatient pulmonary department were included in the description.
Routine clinical data; asthma control test and spirometry
Granadero Baigorria, Santa Fe Province, Argentina