Questionnaire Survey on Asthma Management of Japanese Allergists I. Diagnosis patient education and management

Abstract

A questionnaire on asthma management was sent to 586 physicians, consisting of specialists authorized by the Japanese Society of Allergology and councillors of the Society, who were treating patients with bronchial asthma. Of the total of 306 (52%) respondents in November 1993, 241 replied to questions relating to adult asthma and 129 to questions relating to childhood asthma (including duplicate replies). Responses to the questionnaire on the diagnosis, patient education and management of asthma indicated that a reduced number of patients with severe asthma were seen in 1993 in both Pediatric and Internal Medicine Departments compared with 5 years before, despite the increase in total number of asthma patients in Japan. Specifiic IgE radioallergosorbent test (RAST) measurements were frequently performed instead of skin testing for diagnosis, and eosinophil count and bronchodilator response served as an adjunct to the diagnosis. Patients were frequently asked detailed questions about aspirin-induced asthma, which accounted for 8.8, 2.2 and 1.5% of patients with asthma in the adult, schoolchildren (6–16 years) and infant (≤ 5 years) groups, respectively. In achieving ‘control of asthma’, first priority was given to coping with the symptoms in children aged 5 years or less and to enabling routine daily life activities in patients 6 years of age or older. Usefulness of peak flow measurements was widely recognized and a detailed plan for allergen avoidance (house dust) was often given to patients.