Asthma in Patients with Persistent Cough: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from a Primary Care Center in Karachi

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency and risk factors of asthma among patients having persistent cough attending primary care center in a tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2017 till May 2018 in a Primary Health Care Center Sikanderabad, Karachi. All patients coming to Primary Health Care Center above 5 years of age, presenting with cough for more than eight weeks were consecutively enrolled. Chest was examined and the patients underwent Peak Expiratory Flow Meter Test (PEF). If PEF was found 12% post bronchodilation was labeled asthmatic. Results: Out of 150 subjects, mean age of the patients was 27.65 ±19.53 years. There were 78 (52%) females and 72 (48%) males. Frequency of cough, sputum, wheeze, and dyspnea was observed in 120 (80%), 21 (14%), 62 (41.3%), and 56 (37.3%) respectively. There were 44 (29.3%) asthmatic. The odds of asthma were 4.55 times signiicantly higher among smokers (aOR: 4.55, 95% CI: 1.62-12.79, p-value 0.004) and 3.14 times significantly higher among patients with dyspnea (aOR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.27-7.74, pvalue 0.013). MRC dyspnea score showed that among 44 asthmatic patients with dyspnea, grade 1 was found higher (n=33, 75%) followed by grade 2 (n=7, 16%), while grade 0 and grade 3 in 2 (5%) patients each. Conclusion: The finding of this research showed aconsiderable number of patients with asthma. Smoking and dyspnea found important risk factors for asthma.