Influence of adherence to medical recommendations on symptom control in children with bronchial asthma

Abstract

The search for factors affecting the efficacy of bronchial asthma (BA) therapy in children is an actual problem. subject of many modern scientific studies. Authors note that adherence to therapy in patients with asthma ranges from 30 to 70%. Often this index does not exceed 50%. Analysis of adherence to medical recommendations in children with asthma and the search for compliance reduction factors is one of the ways for optimizing therapy and improving the quality of life for children with asthma.Purpose. In order to optimize bronchial asthma therapy in pediatric practice, we analysed adherence to medical recommendations and its effect on the controllability of the disease in children with asthma.Materials and methods. The study included 94 children aged 6 to 17 years with an established diagnosis of bronchial asthma. All patients had previously been recommended basic therapy in the form of inhaled glucocorticosteroids (ICS) or their fixed combinations with long-acting beta2-adrenomimetikami (LABA). An assessment of BA control symptoms was carried out, and factors affecting adherence to medical recommendations were analyzed. The effect of decreased patient compliance on the control of asthma symptoms was evaluated.Results. 61.7% of children with asthma have insufficient disease control. In 42.55% of patients, a survey revealed insufficient adherence to medical recommendations. 88.3% of children and their parents reported the presence of factors capable of influencing the decrease in compliance. The most frequently occurring factor in reducing adherence to therapy turned out to be insufficient patient awareness of the disease itself, the mechanisms of therapy action, and the prospect of treatment. Statistical data processing showed a statistically significant decrease in adherence to medical recommendations in the group of patients with insufficient asthma symptom control (p = 0.038).Conclusion. Only 38.3% of children had complete asthma symptom control. The statistically significant reduction in adherence to medical recommendations in the group of children with insufficient symptom control suggests the need for educational activities for children with BA and their parents in order to increase adherence to medical recommendations, optimize the effectiveness of therapy and improve the quality of patients’ life.