Asthma control status in Tunisia

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Published Feb 17, 2010
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Vol. 88 No. 2 (2010): Issue Feb 2010

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Imen Aissa
Houda Gharsalli
Amal Khattab
Leila Driss
Habib Ghedira

Abstract

Aim: Transversal study during hospital allergology visit which aim is to evaluate asthma control levels in Tunisia
Methods : Questionnaire issue of global initiative for asthma (GINA) guidelines.
Results : 400 asthmatics were included (70% of women and 30% men), aged 32±11 years old. Asthma was intermittent in 43% of patients, mild persistant (27%), moderate (14%) and severe in 16% of patients. Daytime symptoms were observed in 56% of cases, nocturnal symptoms in 40%, exacerbations in 39% of cases, activities limitation in 44% of cases and need of rescue treatment in 56%. Controller medications were used in 63% of patients. Inhaled Glucocorticosteroids were used in 90% of patients with persistent asthma. Subjective self evaluation of asthma showed that 83% of patients felled better with treatment, whereas, asthma objective control was obtained only in 10% of them. For the rest, asthma was partly controlled in 35% of patients and uncontrolled in 55%.
College and professional absenteeism was observed in 60% of cases, with a mean of 1 to 5 days per month. Control factors seem to be young age, non smoker status and mild persistent asthma.
Conclusion : Although GINA 2006 guidelines and treatment progress, an important rate of asthmatics (90%) continue to present symptoms, underuse their treatment and overestimate control level of their disease.

Keywords:

Asthma, Control, Drugs

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