Severe asthma: still a significant impact on the daily lives of European patients

Overall, the management of asthma is far from optimal in Europe, considered Dr. Yves Magar, pulmonologist at St. Joseph Hospital (Paris, fourteenth district), commenting on the results of the telephone survey "Fighting for your breath", conducted among 1,300 asthmatic from five European countries.

Thirty million asthmatics in Europe!

The French Association Asthma and Allergies, and its counterparts in other countries involved in this analysis (Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and Sweden) have benefited from the World Asthma Day to present the first quantitative results of this survey European conducted under the auspices of the EFA (European federation of allergy and airways diseases patients associations).

In total, there are approximately 30 million asthmatics in Europe (5.8% of the population), nearly 6 million suffer from severe symptoms. It is this population of patients with severe asthma, but "that can often be avoided, however," that the survey was interested, the document presenting the results. The 200 respondents in each country (except the United Kingdom, 500 participants) had been in effect during the year preceding the survey, nocturnal symptoms at least once a week, at least one asthma attack weekly and at least one crisis affecting speech the year.

Insufficient control

International and national guidelines are in force control asthma the objective of the management of this disease. One can recognize a particular asthmatic controls its pathology at low frequency of crises, the scarcity of nocturnal symptoms, or the fact that his illness does not interfere in daily life (physical activity, social or professional) said Dr Yves Magar.

Unfortunately the results of this survey show "that we are still far from the recommendations," he noted. Nearly three-quarters of participants reported being awakened by their symptoms at least once a week during the past year, while they were nearly 70% reported having to avoid certain physical activities.

Almost half of respondents with asthma (46% on average in Europe, 47% in France) has suffered a stroke causing wheezing at least once a week in the twelve months preceding the survey also highlighted the Parisian pulmonologist .

Other indicators of poor asthma control highlighted by these preliminary data, we can also see that 13% of patients interviewed (3% in France) have not succeeded in reducing the number of asthmatic episodes they have to face and 15% of participants (27% in France) are still call for emergency care.

In summary, this survey confirms the findings already made in previous French and European studies, said Dr. Sergio Salmeron, chief of allergy pneumo-Saint Joseph Hospital: poor control of asthma, which s accompanying an overuse care (both emergency and number of hospitalizations), the result of a situation in treatment, lack of compliance with treatment effective background.

For Dr. Yves Magar, if "we find the same results a little disappointing study in study" is because "beyond recommendations and beyond the requirements, there really is a problem accompanying of asthma. "

Imporatance of therapeutic education

Indeed, to reach the patient, the treatment is appropriate, take active part in its management and become "the expert of his illness", "it is not enough to issue an order," he insisted.

Yet the limited time of the medical examination is generally not enough for the physician to both explain what disease, stress that it is scalable, show the patient how to use the inhalation system, lift the concern regarding the use of inhaled corticosteroids and verify that the patient has understood everything while ensuring that it is ready to accept this chronic disease, added Dr. Sergio Salmeron.

All these aspects confirm the important needs of asthma in therapeutic education, eventually concluded the two Parisian specialists.

The full results of the European survey "Fighting for your breath" were presented, said Marie-Caroline Lafay, Press the Asthma and Allergy Association.