Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Bronchial Asthma patients and their relation to Asthma control in Dumyat Chest Hospital

Abstract

Asthma is a serious global health problem and is a significant burden not only in terms of health care costs but also of lost productivity and reduced participation in family life (GINA, 2011). Hence, this study was performed on seventy four patients with bronchial asthma trying to identify the main risk factors of bronchial asthma for better asthma control through a written questionnaire to study the relationship between the disease and many socio demographic parameters like age, sex, occupation,inhalation therapy, complications of inhalation therapy, other types of allergy associated with bronchial asthma, the problem of obesity, co-morbidity presence, precipitating factors for bronchial asthma, smoking habit and its effect on asthmatic patients, the lagging period between age of onset of disease and age of diagnosis. From that survey the following results were obtained:  Mean age of studied cases was 40 years old  Number of males 49 (66%) and number of females 25 (33%).  Number of cases lived in rural areas was 66 (89%) and 8 (11%) cases lived in urban areas.  30 cases (40.5%) were carpenters.  22 of 25 studied females were housewife's.  17 (23%) cases studied till bachelor and 15 (20.2%) cases studied till preparatory school.  40 (54%) cases live in more than one room while 34 (46%) cases live in one room or less.  29 cases (39.1%) were outside workforce.  25 cases (33.8%) were skilled labor in their jobs.  Family size of 24 cases (32.4%) was 4 persons.  Mean weight was 87.2 kg  Mean height was 167.35 cm.  Mean BMI was 30.81.  74 cases were classified according to level of asthma control into: 5 controlled, 27 partially controlled and 42 uncontrolled asthmatic patients.  Mean age of controlled cases was 48 years old while in partially controlled cases was 39 years old and in uncontrolled cases was 40 years old.  Number of controlled males was 2 while of partially controlled males was 16 and of uncontrolled males was 31.  Number of controlled females was 3 while partially controlled females was 11 and uncontrolled females was 11.  Controlled cases lived in rural areas were 4 while partially controlled cases lived in rural areas were 26 and uncontrolled cases lived in rural areas were 36.  Controlled cases lived in urban areas was 1 while partially controlled cases lived in urban areas was 1 and uncontrolled cases lived in urban areas were 6.  Number of controlled asthmatic carpenters was 1 while of partially controlled asthmatic carpenters was 9 and uncontrolled asthmatic carpenters were 20.  Number of controlled asthmatic house wife was 3 while partially controlled asthmatic house wife were 11 and uncontrolled asthmatic house wife were 8.  Number of controlled asthmatic patients lived in more than one room was 2 while partially controlled asthmatic patients lived in more than one room were 10 and uncontrolled asthmatic patients lived in more than one room were 28.  Number of controlled asthmatic patients lived in one room or less was 3 while partially controlled asthmatic patients lived in one room or less were 17 and uncontrolled asthmatic patients lived in one room or less were 14.  Mean weight of controlled cases was 90 kg while mean weight of partially controlled cases was 81 kg and mean weight of uncontrolled cases was 90 kg.  Mean height of controlled cases was 169.8 cm while mean height of partially controlled cases was 165.85 cm and mean height of uncontrolled cases was 167.8 cm.  Mean BMI of controlled cases was 31 while mean BMI of partially controlled cases was 28 and mean BMI of uncontrolled cases was 32.7.  There is significant statistical differences as regard to BMI in relation to level of asthma control.  There is significant statistical differences as regards passive smoking in relation to level of asthma control.  There is significant statistical differences as regards to age of onset of smoking in relation to level of asthma control.  There is significant statistical differences as regards to wheezes, cough after exercise in relation to level of asthma control.  There is significant statistical differences as regards to use of formoterol as long acting beta 2 antagonist in relation to level of asthma control more among partially controlled cases.  There is significant statistical differences as regards to use of inhaled steroids in relation to level of asthma control more among uncontrolled cases.  There is significant statistical differences as regards to use of accessory muscles and inability to talk during examination in relation to level of asthma control more among uncontrolled cases.  No significant statistical differences as regards to family history, atopy, previous hospitalization, antibiotics given, patient education, comorbidity and complications in relation to level of asthma control.  Bronchial asthma is still a common problem and understanding asthma epidemiology and risk factors is essential to decrease morbidity and mortality, so this study was done to identify reversible factors for adequate asthma control.