Short-acting Beta-agonist Use Research Articles

THE EFFICIENCY OF NEBULIZED SALBUTAMOL MONOTHERAPY AS COMPARED TO COMBINATION THERAPY WITH IPRATROPIUM BROMIDE IN ACUTE SEVERE ASTHMA AMONG CHILDREN

Introduction: asthma is a prevalent disease among pediatric population and about 300 million people is affected globally. Although there is many drugs available, suggestion and clinical trials of different drugs and combined regimens are continuously making the management more efficient than before. Short Acting Beta Agonists (SABA) is the ones which are used frequently and muscarinic acetylcholine antagonist ipratropium bromide (IB) are also on the line. The use of SABAs are usually done as single regimen but suggestions have been done that combining with IB may result in efficient outcome. This current study explored the efficiency of Salbutamol montherapy with that of combined regimen with IB and expressed the efficiency in terms of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate measured using spirometer.
 Methods: The study was conducted from March, 2021 to November 2021. The study design is prospective cohort and included 127 pediatric patients. The pediatric patients were considered who had confirmed asthma. The study considered Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) as the determinant of the study outcome. PEFR was measured using spirometer. The patients were divided into 2 groups, group 1 received salbutomol monotherapy while group 2 received ipratropium bromide along with salbutamol. Then the PEFR at the starting of the treatment was measured and after the receiving the monotherapy or the combination, PEFR was measured at fixed interval. The rise of PEFR was plotted against a chart with time in X-axis.
 Result: it was found that the group 2 patients who received a combination therapy of salbutamol and ipratropium bromide have responded more efficiently as compared to the patients of group 1.
 Conclusion: the authors considered that the combination of salbutamol and ipratropium bromide is more efficacious in managing acute moderate to severe asthma among the pediatric population. 
 Keywords: asthma, salbutamol, ipratropium bromide, pefr.

RELATIONS OF ANNUAL SHORT-ACTING BETA2-AGONIST AND SYSTEMIC CORTICOSTEROID EXPOSURES WITH ADVERSE HEALTH CONDITIONS IN ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ASTHMA

RELATIONS OF ANNUAL SHORT-ACTING BETA2-AGONIST AND SYSTEMIC CORTICOSTEROID EXPOSURES WITH ADVERSE HEALTH CONDITIONS IN ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ASTHMA

High Use of SABAs is Associated with Higher Exacerbation Rate in Dutch Patients with Asthma.

PurposeMany patients with asthma still have insufficient disease control, despite the availability of effective treatment options. A substantial proportion of patients appear to rely more on short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) rather than on anti-inflammatory maintenance treatment. The aim of this study was to describe differences in indicators of asthma symptoms and exacerbations among patients using more or less SABA than the guideline-recommended threshold of <3 times/week.Patients and MethodsData from Dutch respondents in the European REcognise Asthma and LInk to Symptoms and Experience (REALISE) survey were used in this post hoc analysis. The survey included asthma patients aged 18–50 years with at least two prescriptions for their asthma in the past two years. SABA use was categorized into two groups: <3 (low-SABA users) or ≥3 (high-SABA users) times in the last week.ResultsOf the 736 asthma patients, 21% did not use SABA and 19% used SABA 1 to 2 times (all low SABA users) and 60% used SABA ≥3 times (high SABA users) in the last week. The majority of high and low SABA users also reported using an ICS-containing treatment. Significant differences were found for all indicators related to exacerbations (p<0.001): high SABA users more frequently used antibiotics and oral steroids, more frequently visited the emergency departments or needed an overnight hospital stay. Indicators of asthma symptoms were not significantly different between both groups.ConclusionThe majority of a Dutch asthmatic population reported high SABA use and had frequent moderate/severe exacerbations. More effective interventions are needed to change healthcare providers’ and patients’ behaviours to improve care and reduce SABA (over)use.

Concurrent Improvement Observed in Patient-Reported Burden and Sensor-Collected Medication Use Among Patients Enrolled in a COPD Digital Health Program.

Background: The COPD assessment test (CAT) is an 8-item questionnaire widely used in clinical practice to assess patient burden of disease. Digital health platforms that leverage electronic medication monitors (EMMs) are used to track the time and date of maintenance and short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) inhaler medication use and record patient-reported outcomes. The study examined changes in CAT and SABA inhaler use in COPD to determine whether passively collected SABA and CAT scores changed in a parallel manner.Methods: Patients with self-reported COPD enrolled in a digital health program, which provided EMMs to track SABA and maintenance inhaler use, and a companion smartphone application (“app”) to provide medication feedback and reminders. Patients completing the CAT questionnaire in the app at enrollment and at 6 months were included in the analysis. Changes in CAT burden category [by the minimally important difference (MID)] and changes in EMM-recorded mean SABA inhaler use per day were quantified at baseline and 6 months.Results: The analysis included 611 patients. At 6 months, mean CAT improved by −0.9 (95% CI: −1.4, −0.4; p < 0.001) points, and mean SABA use decreased by −0.6 (−0.8, −0.4; p < 0.001) puffs/day. Among patients with higher burden (CAT ≥ 21) at enrollment, CAT improved by −2.0 (−2.6, −1.4; p < 0.001) points, and SABA use decreased by −0.8 (−1.1, −0.6; p < 0.001) puffs/day.Conclusion: Significant and parallel improvement in CAT scores and SABA use at 6 months were noted among patients enrolled in a digital health program, with greater improvement for patients with higher disease burden.

Genome‐wide association studies of exacerbations in children using long‐acting beta2‐agonists

BackgroundSome children with asthma experience exacerbations despite long‐acting beta2‐agonist (LABA) treatment. While this variability is partly caused by genetic variation, no genome‐wide study until now has investigated which genetic factors associated with risk of exacerbations despite LABA use in children with asthma. We aimed to assess whether genetic variation was associated with exacerbations in children treated with LABA from a global consortium.MethodsA meta‐analysis of genome‐wide association studies (meta‐GWAS) was performed in 1,425 children and young adults with asthma (age 6‐21 years) with reported regular use of LABA from six studies within the PiCA consortium using a random effects model. The primary outcome of each study was defined as any exacerbation within the past 6 or 12 months, including at least one of the following: 1) hospital admissions for asthma, 2) a course of oral corticosteroids or 3) emergency room visits because of asthma.ResultsGenome‐wide association results for a total of 82 996 common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, MAF ≥1%) with high imputation quality were meta‐analysed. Eight independent variants were suggestively (P‐value threshold ≤5 × 10−6) associated with exacerbations despite LABA use.ConclusionNo strong effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on exacerbations during LABA use were identified. We identified two loci (TBX3 and EPHA7) that were previously implicated in the response to short‐acting beta2‐agonists (SABA). These loci merit further investigation in response to LABA and SABA use.

An Assessment of Epidemiologic Burden of Hospitalization for Bronchial Asthma in Acute Exacerbation among Adult Patients Admitted in a Tertiary Hospital in the Philippines: A Pilot Study

Objective. This pilot study aimed to determine the epidemiologic burden of hospitalization for bronchial asthma in acute exacerbation.&#x0D; Methods. We used a descriptive cross-sectional study to describe the demographic profile, comorbidities and level of control of patients admitted for bronchial asthma in acute exacerbation admitted to the Philippine General Hospital from May 1 to October 31 2019. The study computed for the admission rate and compared the average cost of hospitalization (diagnostics, therapeutics and room) using direct costing to the total reimbursable cost from PhilHealth. Associations between patient characteristics (age, type of admission) and hospitalization cost were also determined.&#x0D; Results. We enrolled 45 patients in the study. The admission rate was 8/month. The mean cost of admission was significantly higher than the reimbursable amount from PhilHealth (Php 20,074.63 versus Php 9000) (p = 0.004). Cost of hospitalization was significantly higher in pay patients versus charity (p = 0.001 for diagnostics, p = 0.005 for treatment and p = 0.001 for room cost), in patients with poorly controlled asthma (p = 0.020 for diagnostics and p = 0.014 for room cost) and those with frequent short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) use (p = 0.001).&#x0D; Conclusion. Asthma remains an economic burden for the Filipino patient. Persistent SABA use, perceived asthma control of patients and increased expenses associated with an asthma exacerbation admission lead to significant out-of-pocket expenditure.

Impact of a Digital Asthma Intervention on Short-acting Beta-agonist (SABA) Medication Use Among Medicaid-enrolled Children in Southwest Detroit

Digital asthma interventions have been associated with improved outcomes, but evidence among Medicaid-enrolled participants remains limited. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a digital asthma intervention, combined with a collaborative asthma education program, on SABA use among children in Detroit.

Quality Improvement: Enhancing Asthma Control Test Documentation via Smarter EMR Integration

Appropriate assessment of asthma control includes evaluation of five parameters: 1. daytime symptoms, 2. nighttime awakenings, 3. interference with normal activity, 4. short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) use and 5. number of asthma exacerbations requiring oral steroids in the last year. To improve documentation of asthma control, an electronic asthma control test (ACT) survey for seamless integration into the EMR was developed.

Short-Acting Beta2-Agonist Use in Asthma in Korea: A 10-Year Population-Based Study.

Short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) use is known to be lower in Korean patients with asthma than in those from other countries, while the rate of asthma exacerbations in Korea is higher than in other countries. Thus, an epidemiologic study on SABA use and the relationship between SABA overuse and treatment outcomes in asthma is needed in Korea. We performed a cross-sectional study using the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort 2002–2012 database. We evaluated the trend of annual SABA use and overuse (prescription of 3 or more SABA canisters/year) and the impact of SABA overuse on mortality. During the study period, the proportion of asthmatic patients who used SABA was approximately 8%–11%, with no significant change in trend. The mean annual SABA use in asthmatic patients was 0.15–0.22 canisters/patient/year and 1.93–2.05 canisters/patient/year in those who used SABA in 12 months. SABA overuse was observed in about 2%–4% of asthmatic patients during the study period. SABA overuse generally tended to increase as the age of patients increased, with triple peaks in the late 20s (3.3%), late 40s (3.1%), and late 70s (3.6%). SABA overuse was associated with mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.61–1.84). The rate of SABA use was very low in Korean asthmatic patients between 2002–2012. SABA overuse was found in 2%–4% of patients in Korea. SABA overuse was associated with an increased risk of mortality.

Uncontrolled asthma in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Despite significant improvement in the diagnosis and management of this disorder, asthma in the majority of Ethiopians remains poorly controlled. Although the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma is a public health problem in Ethiopia, its reported prevalence varies from study to study. Hence, this review aims to determine the true prevalence of uncontrolled asthma among asthmatic patients in Ethiopia. Different database searching engines were used including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Africa journal online, World Health Organization (WHO) afro library, and Cochrane review. They were systematically searched for published studies on uncontrolled asthma in Ethiopia from 2014 to 2019. Primary search terms were "asthma", "uncontrolled asthma", "uncontrolled wheezing", and "Ethiopia". The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline was followed. Publication bias was examined by the funnel plot. The random-effect model was fitted to estimate the pooled prevalence of uncontrolled asthma among asthmatic patients. All statistical analysis was done using R version 3.5.3 and the RStudio version 1.2.5033 software for Windows. The overall pooled prevalence of uncontrolled asthma was found to be 71.67% [95% CI (0.6772; 0.7562)]. Potential associated factors were: unscheduled visits, frequency of short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) use, type of treatment and perceived rate of asthma control, low monthly income, age group, presence of comorbidity, moderate persistent asthma, severe persistent asthma and use of SABA alone as anti-asthmatic medication, use of biomass fuel for cooking, longer duration of asthma (> 30 years), incorrect inhalation technique, and asthma exacerbation in the last 12 months. Self-perceived poor asthma control was associated with any activity limitation due to asthma, inconsistent inhaled corticosteroid use, and lack of health education on metered-dose inhaler technique [AOR =4.96; 95% CI (1.08-22.89)]. Nearly two-thirds of patients were determined to have uncontrolled asthma. Thus, this evidence suggests that attention should be given to asthma patients and health care providers.

Uncontrolled asthma and household environmental exposures in Puerto Rico

Objective To describe asthma control and household environmental exposures among adults and children with asthma in Puerto Rico. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the 2014–2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey on 931 adults and 177 children with current asthma in Puerto Rico. These data were analyzed to assess the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma in Puerto Rico and potential associations with household environmental exposure to cockroaches, smoke, and mold. Asthma control was classified using daytime and nighttime symptoms, activity limitation, and short-acting beta agonist use. Prevalence and prevalence ratios were calculated, adjusting for sample weighting. Results An estimated 53% of adults with asthma and 29% of children with asthma in Puerto Rico have uncontrolled asthma. Among adults with asthma, in the past 30 days, 29% had seen or smelled mold and 50% had seen cockroaches; in the past week, 12% reported having someone smoke in their home. Adults with uncontrolled asthma were 1.4 times more likely to have observed mold in their homes than were those with controlled asthma when adjusting for age, sex, education, and income (prevalence ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.4 [1.1, 1.8]). Children with uncontrolled asthma were also more likely to have mold observed in their home than were children with controlled asthma (adjusted PR [95% CI]: 3.0 [1.3, 7.1]). Conclusions Uncontrolled asthma is common among adults and children with asthma in Puerto Rico. These results suggest potential differences in household mold exposure by asthma control status.

Effectiveness and safety of a glutaraldehyde-modified, L-tyrosine-adsorbed and monophosphoryl lipid A-Adjuvanted allergen immunotherapy in patients with allergic asthma sensitized to olive pollen: A retrospective, controlled real-world study

BackgroundAllergy to olive pollen is one of the primary causes of allergic asthma in Spain. Even though allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has shown clinical benefits in patients sensitized to different allergens, studies in asthmatic patients sensitized to olive pollen are insufficient. ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness and safety of an ultra-short course of AIT with an L-tyrosine-adsorbed and monophosphoryl lipid A-adjuvanted olive pollen and olive/grass pollen extract (Pollinex Quattro®) in patients with allergic asthma in the real-world setting. MethodsRetrospective, controlled study including patients with asthma, with and without allergic rhinitis, caused by sensitization to olive pollen from 11 centers in Spain. Patients received out-of-season (October–March) treatment with AIT in addition to their pharmacological treatment (active group) or pharmacological treatment (control group). Effectiveness variables, including unscheduled visits to the healthcare center, emergency room admissions, symptoms of asthma and rhinitis (following GEMA and ARIA classifications, respectively), and use of medication to treat asthma and rhinitis during the subsequent pollen season were compared between treatment groups. ResultsOf 131 study patients, 42 were treated with their usual asthma medication (control group) and 89 were treated with AIT (active group), either Pollinex Quattro® 100% olive pollen (n = 43, 48.3%) or 50% olive pollen/50% grass pollen (n = 46, 51.7%). Patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between groups. The mean (SD) number of unscheduled visits to a healthcare center and emergency room admissions due to allergy symptoms was 2.19 (1.40) and 0.43 (0.63) in the control group, and 1.09 (1.25) and 0.11 (0.51) in the active group (P = 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). Severity and control of asthma symptoms remained unchanged (P = 0.347 and P = 0.179, respectively), rhinitis type improved (P = 0.025), and severity remained unchanged in the active compared to the control group. The use of short-acting beta-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids to treat asthma symptoms decreased in the active vs. the control group (P = 0.001 and P = 0.031, respectively). Twelve (13.5%) and two (2.2%) patients in the active group experienced local adverse reactions (edema, swelling, erythema, hives, pruritus, and heat), and systemic adverse reactions (hypertensive crisis and low-grade fever) to AIT, respectively; none was serious. ConclusionAIT with Pollinex Quattro® specific for olive pollen and olive/grass pollens resulted in reduced visits to the healthcare center and emergency room and the use of asthma medication during the pollen season, indicating that this treatment was safe and effective in treating asthma in patients sensitized to these pollens.

Bronchial thermoplasty reduces ventilation heterogeneity measured by multiple breath nitrogen washout

BackgroundDespite demonstrated symptomatic benefit from bronchial thermoplasty (BT), the underlying pathophysiological benefits have been uncertain. The purpose of the present study was to relate clinical benefit after BT to changes in lung physiology, focusing on ventilation homogeneity assessed using multiple breath nitrogen washout (MBNW), and how this may be affected by changes in airway volume and resistance.MethodsConsecutive patients (n = 21) with severe asthma scheduled for BT, were evaluated at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months after completion of treatment. Assessments included the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), medication usage, exacerbation frequency, spirometry, plethysmography and MBNW. Eighteen of these patients underwent detailed CT evaluation for the estimation of airway volume at baseline and then after the left lung had received BT treatment but prior to right lung treatment. Data are mean ± STDEV.ResultsPatients responded to BT with an improvement in ACQ from 3.4 ± 0.8 at baseline to 2.0 ± 1.1 at 6 months (p < 0.001). Steroid requiring exacerbations fell from 3.1 ± 2.9 in the 6 months prior to BT to 1.4 ± 1.7 following BT (p < 0.001). Significant reductions in maintenance oral steroid dosing and short acting beta agonist use were observed.Airway volume measured by CT scanning significantly increased after treatment. The FEV1 improved from 1.34 ± 0.65 l to 1.52 ± 0.76 l (p = 0.024). The Residual Volume fell from 2.87 ± 0.89 l to 2.71 ± 0.93 l (p = 0.008) and Total Airway Resistance (Raw) from 10.58 ± 6.56 to 7.64 ± 3.74 cmH2O.s.l−1 (p = 0.020). The Lung Clearance Index (LCI) was 187 ± 63% predicted at baseline and improved after treatment from 12.7 ± 3.3 to 11.8 ± 2.4 (p = 0.049). The improvement in LCI correlated with the improvement in Raw (r = 0.463, p = 0.035).ConclusionClinical benefit after BT is accompanied by improvements in lung physiology, including normalisation of lung homogeneity that seems to be driven by airway dilation and reduced resistance.

The Impact of Patient Self-Monitoring Via Electronic Medication Monitor and Mobile App Plus Remote Clinician Feedback on Adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroids: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Poor adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) and overuse of short-acting beta2-agonists (SABAs) are associated with increased asthma morbidity. To assess whether patient self-monitoring viaelectronic medication monitoring and smartphone application plus remote clinician feedback influences ICS and SABA use. Adults with uncontrolled asthma and prescribed ICS and SABA were enrolled in this 14-week study. Inhalers were fitted with electronic medication monitoring to track real-time usage. After a 14-day baseline, participants were randomly assigned to the treatment group where they received reminders and feedback on ICS and SABA use via a smartphone application and clinician phone calls, or control group without feedback. Linear mixed models compared the baseline percentage of SABA-free days and ICS adherence to the last 14 study days. Participants (n= 100) had a mean age of 48.5 years, 80% were female, 68% white, and 80% privately insured. The percentage of SABA-free days increased significantly in the treatment group (19%; 95% CI, 12 to 26; P < .01) and nonsignificantly in the control group (6%, 95% CI,-3 to 16; P= .18), representing a 13% (95% CI, 1-26; P= .04) difference. ICS adherence changed minimally in the treatment group (-2%; 95% CI,-7 to 3; P= .40), but decreased significantly (-17%; 95% CI,-26 to-8; P < .01) in the control group, representing a 15% (95% CI, 4 to 25; P < .01) difference. Patient self-monitoring via a digital platform plus remote clinician feedback maintained high baseline ICS adherence and decreased SABA use.

Perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of short-acting beta2 agonist users: an Australian cross-sectional community pharmacy-based study

Background High use of short-acting beta-2-agonist (SABA) medication is a significant problem. Attitudes and perceptions toward asthma of over-the-counter (OTC) reliever users are unknown. The study aimed to describe the asthma attitudes, perceptions, medication knowledge and information gathering behavior of people with asthma with recent high SABA use (i.e. SABA use > twice a week in the last 4 weeks) and compare them to people with asthma with no recent high SABA use. Method A real-world cross-sectional observational study in Australian community pharmacies was conducted; surveying patients ages ≥ 16 years requesting SABA medication OTC. Data collected included; demographics, medication usage, asthma control, asthma-related perceptions and behaviors. Data were summarized by using descriptive analyses. Results 375 participants completed the survey, 73.9% were high SABA users. Of the 375, 90.4% reported that their asthma symptoms were controlled or somewhat controlled and 56.0% felt that their asthma was not serious. However, only 17.6%, had controlled asthma according to GINA-defined criteria. High SABA users tended to be more anxious about their asthma and worried about its impact in the future (50.5% vs. 28.6%, p < 0.001). High SABA users were more likely to agree with the statements suggesting that asthma impacted on activities of daily living (46.6% vs. 16.3%, p < 0.001); were socially conscious about their asthma and more likely to feel embarrassed carrying (21.3% vs 9.2%, p = 0.007) and using (29.2% vs 18.4%, p = 0.036) their asthma inhaler. Conclusion This study revealed the extent of uncontrolled asthma and uncovered an anxious and socially conscious group of OTC SABA users. There is a need to better understand patient perceptions and their relationships to high-SABA use, to ensure targeted educational interventions are developed and implemented.

P216 IS THERE A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO PREVENT EXACERBATIONS IN MODERATE/SEVERE ASTHMA PATIENTS?

Prior to asthma exacerbations, symptoms worsen and short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) use increases. Less is known about concomitant inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use. We evaluated the rescue and maintenance therapies moderate/severe asthmatics possess preceding an exacerbation.

Descripción del uso de medicación inhalada de rescate en una población asmática atendida en el ámbito de Atención Primaria. Estudio UMI-ASMA

ObjectiveTo describe the quantitative use of inhaled rescue medication in an asthmatic population treated in the Primary Care clinics, and secondly to determine its possible relationship as regards other variables associated with control. Material and methodsAn observational, descriptive study was conducted on a randomised sample of all the asthmatic patients with more than one year of onset, and coming from 17 Primary Care catchment areas. 1 year observation period. The data collected included sociodemographic variables and characteristics of the asthma, such as the use of short-acting beta-agonists (SABA) and level of control as regards its frequency of use, the use of inhaled control medication (ICM), number of hospital exacerbations, smoking habits, and availability of an action plan. The data were obtained from the clinical history and the computerised prescription modules. ResultsA total of 442 asthmatic patients were included (59.5% female), with a mean age of 45.4 years. The total number of SABA containers prescribed in one year per patient was between 0 and 25 containers, with a mean of 4.26 (SD=4.1). Only 46.6% showed a regular use of an ICM. The number of SABA containers prescribed to patients with an intermittent use of an ICM was significantly higher than those patients that used it regularly (P=.001). There was an association between the number of exacerbations and the number of SABA containers prescribed (Spearman correlation coefficient=0.474, P<.001), as such that the higher the number of containers prescribed there was also a higher number of hospitalised asthmatic exacerbations. ConclusionsA considerable number of asthmatics in the sample had elevated prescriptions for SABA inhalers and within the defined quantitative ranges of at least a partially or poor-controlled asthma. There is a positive relationship between the overuse of SABA and the intermittent use of the ICM, the same as with hospital exacerbations, smoking, and the lack of a written action plan..

Assessment of Asthma Control and Quality of Life among Asthmatic Patients Attending Armed Forces Referral and Teaching Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background The primary goal of asthma management is to achieve good asthma control. However, poor patient-physician communication, unavailability of appropriate medications, and lack of long-term goals have made asthma control difficult in developing countries. Poor assessment of asthma control and quality of life is a major cause of suboptimal asthma treatment worldwide, and information regarding this issue is scanty in developing countries like Ethiopia. This study thus attempted to assess the level of asthma control and quality of life in asthmatic patients attending Armed Forces Referral and Teaching Hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study comprising 184 physician-diagnosed asthmatic patients was conducted using interview, chart review, and prescription assessment. Asthma control was assessed using Asthma Control Test, while asthma quality of life was assessed using Mini-Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (mini-AQLQ). Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed to understand the relationship between mean mini-AQLQ score and asthma control. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to establish cut-off values for mini-AQLQ. Results Asthma was uncontrolled in 67.9% subjects. There was a strong correlation between asthma control and quality of life (rs = 0.772; P < 0.01). A cut-off value for the quality of life was established at 4.97. Majority of the patients were taking two or three antiasthmatic drugs. Oral tablet and inhaler short-acting beta agonists (SABA) were the frequently combined drugs. Uncontrolled asthma was associated with middle-aged adults (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 6.31; 95% CI: 2.06, 19.3; P = 0.001), male gender (AOR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.98; P = 0.044), married (AOR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.78; P = 0.017), comorbidities (AOR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.61; P = 0.003), and oral SABA use (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.59; P = 0.003). Male gender (AOR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.84; P = 0.018), intermittent asthma (AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.86; P = 0.032), use of oral corticosteroids (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.73; P = 0.013), and SABA (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.89; P = 0.026) were found to have a significant association with poor asthma-related quality of life. Conclusion The findings collectively indicate asthma remains poorly controlled in a large proportion of asthma patients in the study setting. Moreover, quality of life appears to be directly related to asthma control. Healthcare providers should therefore focus on asthma education with an integrated treatment plan to improve asthma control and quality of life.

Factors Associated with Treatment Failure in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of COPD Admitted to the Emergency Department Observation Unit

Objective We aimed to identify factors associated with treatment failure in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) admitted to the emergency department observation unit (EDOU). Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 1, 2013, and October 31, 2019. The electronic medical records were reviewed of patients with AECOPD admitted to the EDOU. The patients were divided into treatment failure and treatment success groups. Treatment failure was defined as prolonged stay at the EDOU (>48 h) or COPD-related ED revisit (within 72 h) or readmission within 1 month. The two groups were compared and analyzed using univariable and multivariable analyses by logistic regression. Results Of the 220 patients enrolled, 82 (37.3%) developed treatment failure. Factors associated with treatment failure included arrhythmias (odds ratio [OR] 3.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–13.9), diabetic mellitus (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.09–4.95), long-term oxygen therapy (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.08–7.72), short-acting beta-agonist use (OR 6.06, 95% CI 1.98–18.62), pneumonia findings on chest X-ray (OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.06–9.95), and ED length of stay less than 4 h (OR 2, 95% CI 1.08–3.73). Conclusion Arrhythmias, diabetic mellitus, long-term oxygen therapy, short-acting beta-agonist use, pneumonia findings on chest X-ray, and ED length of stay <4 h were the significant factors associated with treatment failure of AECOPD to which physicians at the ED should pay special attention before the admission of patients to the EDOU.

Daycare attendance and asthma control, Asthma Call-back Survey 2012–2014

Objective To examine the association between daycare attendance and asthma control among children aged 0 to 4 years with asthma Methods We analyzed 2012–2014 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Asthma Call-back Survey on 388 children with asthma aged 0 to 4 years with information on daycare attendance in the past 12 months. We calculated weighted prevalence ratios to assess the association between daycare attendance and asthma control (categorized based on day-time and nighttime asthma symptoms, activity limitation, and short-acting beta agonist use). Adjusted models controlled for parent or guardian education, household income, race, sex, cost barriers to asthma care, long-term control medication use, and the number of other children in the child’s household. Results In this sample of children with asthma, representative of 520,400 children in 26 U.S. states, 34% attended daycare in the past 12 months. Only 32% of children who attended daycare in the past 12 months reported having an asthma action plan on file at the daycare they most recently attended. Presence of the asthma triggers of pets, mold, and smoking in a child’s daycare were reported to be uncommon. Prevalence of uncontrolled asthma was 44% in children who attended daycare in the past 12 months and 68% in children who did not. The adjusted prevalence ratio between daycare attendance and uncontrolled asthma was 0.96 (95% confidence interval 0.73, 1.25). Conclusions When adjusting for covariates, we observed no evidence of an association between daycare attendance in early life and uncontrolled asthma.