[Is asthma still a life-threatening disease?]

[Factors associated with a severe asthma in asthmatic patients followed at Pneumo-phthisiology National Hospital of Cotonou (Benin) in 2014]

Introduction

la présente étude vise à déterminer la fréquence de l'asthme sévère chez les patients asthmatiques suivis au Centre National Hospitalier de Pneumo-Phtisiologie (CNHPP) de Cotonou et identifier les facteurs de risque qui lui sont associés

Méthodes

l’étude transversale, descriptive et analytique a porté sur 213 patients asthmatiques de la file active 2013 du CNHPP. Les données ont été collectées par l'exploitation des dossiers et l'entretien individuel avec les patients. Elles ont été traitées et analysées à l'aide des logiciels EPIINFO7 et STATA11. Le test Chi2 de Pearson, la régression logistique uni variée et multi variée ont été utilisés au seuil de signification de 0,05

Résultats

au total, 154 patients asthmatiques soit 72,7% ont répondu au questionnaire. Parmi eux 20,8% (IC95%:(14,67; 28,05)) souffraient d'asthme sévère. L’âge des patients s’étendait de 10 à 76 ans avec une médiane de 41 ans; 51,3% étaient de sexe féminin, 79,9% avaient des antécédents d'allergie, 61,7% ont commencé leur asthme après l’âge de 12 ans et seuls 11% ont consommé ou consommaient du tabac. Les facteurs associés à la survenue de l'asthme sévère étaient: l’âge de 46 à 55 ans (p = 0,04); les troisième et quatrième quintiles du bien-être économique (p = 0,01) et le début de l'asthme après l’âge de 12 ans (p < 0,001)

Conclusion

l’étude a montré une fréquence élevée de l'asthme sévère au Bénin et permettra d'améliorer sa prise en charge au CNHPP.

[The costs of asthma in France and the economic implications of its level of control]

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of asthma is increasing in France and the proportion of patients with poorly controlled or uncontrolled asthma remains significant. The economic impact of this public health issue is still poorly documented and this is addressed in the present literature review.

STATE OF THE ART

Older identified studies aimed to estimate the use of asthma-related health care resources according to the asthma severity. Only more recent studies have taken into account the level of control of the disease as well. A consistent finding was that asthma-related medical costs were highly dependent both on the degree of severity and level of control.

PERSPECTIVES

Studies identified in this review used the recommendations current at the time of their publication to define severity or levels of control in connection to asthma-related medical consumption, which leads to important methodological variation among them. Economic evaluation which is generally based on annual consumption estimates is hampered by the fact that the level of control reflects only a short-term situation.

CONCLUSIONS

Although data in the literature are consistent in showing that improved control of the disease significantly reduces the costs of its management, there is a need for economic studies based on recent definitions of control and using appropriate methodology.

[Adult asthma exacerbations in questions]

In this article a French working party critically review the international literature to revise the definition, pathophysiology, treatment and cost of exacerbations of adult asthma. The various guidelines do not always provide a consistent definition of exacerbations of asthma. An exacerbation can be defined as deterioration of clinical and/or functional parameters lasting more than 24 hours, without return to baseline, requiring a change of treatment. No single clinical or functional criterion can be used as an early marker of an exacerbation. Innate and acquired immune mechanisms, modified by contact with infectious, irritant or allergenic agents, participate in the pathogenesis of exacerbations, which are accompanied by bronchial inflammation. In 2010, mortality is related to progression of exacerbations, often occurring before the patient seeks medical attention. The objective of treatment is to control asthma and prevent exacerbations. However, many factors can trigger exacerbations and often cannot be controlled. The efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids has been demonstrated on reduction of the number of exacerbations and the number of asthma-related deaths. This treatment is cost-effective, especially in terms of reduction of exacerbations.

The decrease in asthma-related mortality in France

BACKGROUND

Asthma-related morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic cost represent significant public health problems. Despite efficient therapies, in 1999 asthma still killed around 2000 people in France.

METHODS

This study investigated the changes in asthma-related mortality in metropolitan France between 1980 and 2005 and examined its regional disparities. Annual age- and gender-specific mortality rates for asthma were calculated, as well as age-standardized rates. The change in asthma-related mortality was estimated by the annual average rate of change fitted using a log-linear regression model. Lastly, regional disparities were mapped.

RESULTS

After having levelled off between 1990 and 1995, asthma-related mortality significantly decreased. From 2000 onwards the drop was more rapid in men than in women. The observed decrease was significant only in people over 35. In 2005, there were 1129 deaths due to asthma. Moreover, regional disparities could be seen.

CONCLUSIONS

The decline of asthma-related mortality that started in 1986 continued until 2005. Possible explanations could be better patient care, including the use of inhaled corticosteroids and therapeutic education, and improvement in the recording of deaths.

Time trends in prevalence and severity of childhood asthma and allergies from 1995 to 2002 in France

OBJECTIVE

To assess time trends in symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema among adolescents in Languedoc Roussillon, France.

METHODS

Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted 7 years apart using the same protocol. School-based samples of 3383 participants in the 1995 survey and 1642 participants in the 2002 survey respectively were recruited.

RESULTS

There was a tendency towards stagnation in current symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema. Indices related to lifetime diagnosis of asthma, hay fever and eczema increased. For all the conditions, indices of severity also showed a decrease in the 7-year study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema were stable, supporting the effectiveness of national asthma prevention and management guidelines for such diseases. The increase in indices related to lifetime diagnosis could be the result of increased public and professional awareness of the diseases and changes in diagnostic labelling in recent years.

[Improving the control of asthma]

Asthma control is the cornerstone of monitoring for patients with this disease. Monitoring limited to questions of the type "how is your asthma?" underestimates the real effects of the disease. Measuring control requires assessing several criteria, which differ by the kinetics of their course during treatment. Basing monitoring on only a single criterion risks overestimating control, stepping down treatment too early, and losing control of the disease. In the case of inadequate control, uncontrolled comorbid conditions and aggravating factors or poor treatment adhesion must be sought before determining that the treatment itself is insufficient. After stepping up treatment, the chances of obtaining adequate control increase progressively with time, for at least a year. When the physician and patient jointly determine that the current treatment is the maximum acceptable, waiting may be a solution. Similarly, in seeking the minimal efficacious treatment, treatment must not be stepped down too rapidly. Once control is obtained, continuation of the treatment maintains long-term control for most patients.

[The decrease in asthma-related mortality in France]

INTRODUCTION

Asthma-related morbidity, mortality and socio- economic cost represent significant public health problems. Despite efficient therapies, in 1999 asthma still killed around 2000 people in France.

METHODS

This study investigated the changes in asthma-related mortality in metropolitan France between 1980 and 2005 and examined its regional disparities. Annual age- and gender-specific mortality rates for asthma were calculated, as well as age-standardized rates. The change in asthma-related mortality was estimated by the annual average rate of change fitted using a log-linear regression model. Lastly, regional disparities were mapped.

RESULTS

After having levelled off between 1990 and 1995, asthma- related mortality significantly decreased. From 2000 onwards the drop was more rapid in men than in women. The observed decrease was significant only in people aged more than 35 years. Moreover, regional disparities could be seen.

CONCLUSIONS

The decline of asthma-related mortality that started in 1986 continued until 2005. Potential explanations could be better patient care due to consensus, including the use of inhaled corticosteroids and therapeutic education, and improvement in the recording of deaths.