Key factors associated with uncontrolled asthma - the Asthma Control in Latin America Study

• Published in: The Journal of asthma 2020-02, Vol.57 (2), p.113-122
• Main Authors: Neffen, Hugo, Chahuàn, Marco, Hernández, Dante D., Vallejo-Perez, Edith, Bolivar, Fabio, Sánchez, Marco H., Galleguillos, Fabian, Castaños, Claudio, S.Silva, Rafael, Giugno, Eduardo, Pavie, Juana, Contreras, Ruben, Lamarao, Flavia, Moraes dos Santos, Felipe, Rodriguez, Cristian, Tobler, Juliana, Viana, Karynna, Vieira, Claudia, Soares, Claudia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACT; asthma exacerbations; emergency department visits; hospital admissions; Latin American countries; Outpatient specialist centers
• ISSN: 0277-0903; 1532-4303
• DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2018.1553050

Objective: This study aimed to estimate asthma control at specialist treatment centers in four Latin American countries and assess factors influencing poor asthma control. Methods: Patients aged ≥12 years with an asthma diagnosis and asthma medication prescription, followed at outpatient specialist centers in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, were included. The study received all applicable ethical approvals. The Asthma Control Test (ACT) was used to classify patients as having controlled (ACT 20-25) or uncontrolled (ACT ≤19) asthma. Frequency and statistical tests were used to assess the association between hospital admissions/exacerbations/emergency department (ED) visits and uncontrolled asthma; multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association of uncontrolled asthma with clinical/demographic variables. Results: A total of 594 patients were included. Overall controlled-asthma prevalence was 43.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 39.0, 47.4). Patients with uncontrolled asthma were more likely to be women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.85; p = 0.003), non-white (aOR: 2.14; p