Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Asthma in primary care - Assessment and control
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the ALMA-study (Living With Asthma i Sweden) was to see what matters to asthma patients i Sweden and which medicines they use.
Method: A random sample of 10.350 subjects aged 18-45 years were asked over the telephone if they had a current asthma or not. 348 (3,4%) was identified as asthmatics. Out of these participated 240 in a structured telephone interview about their asthma.
Results: Out of the responders 40% had used inhaled corticosteroids the last week and 50% had used short-acting beta-agonists. Asthma symptoms occurring at least once a week last month were reported by 49%. 60% of these classified their disease as mild or very mild. Asthma symptoms occurring every day during the last month were reported by 16%. Nocturnal symptoms at least twice per week were reported by 19%. Activities or situations which caused symptoms often or now and then were physical exertion 67%, contact with animals or pets 58% and visits to cafés or restaurants 36%. Physical exertion was often avoided by 18% and animals or pets were often avoided by 33%.
Conclusion: A great majority of asthmatics reported a large number of symptoms and limitations in their daily living even if they reported their asthma as mild.

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B. Stallberg, U. Nystrom Kronander, P. Olsson, L. Gottberg, E. Ronmark, B. Lundback (Trosa, Sjobo, Huddinge, Lulea, Stockholm, Sweden). Symptoms and limitations in patients with asthma in Sweden. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 597

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