Asthma control and need for future asthma controller therapy among inner-city Hispanic asthmatic children engaged in a pediatric asthma disease management program (the Breathmobile program, Mobile Asthma Care for Kids Network)

J Asthma. 2016 Aug;53(6):629-34. doi: 10.3109/02770903.2015.1050498. Epub 2016 May 24.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether significant numbers of asthmatic children with initially rated intermittent asthma later suffer poor asthma control and require the addition of controller medications.

Methods: Inner-city Hispanic children were followed prospectively in an asthma-specific disease management system (Breathmobile) for a period of 2 years. Clinical asthma symptoms, morbidity treatment, and demographic data were collected at each visit. Treatment was based upon National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Expert Panel Report 3 asthma guidelines. Primary outcome was percentage of patients with intermittent asthma who had not well or poorly controlled asthma during subsequent visits and required controller agents. Secondary outcomes were factors associated with the maintenance of asthma control.

Results: About 30.9% of the patients with initial rating of intermittent asthma had not well controlled and poorly controlled asthma during subsequent visits and required the addition of controller agents. Factors associated with good asthma control were compliance, no previous emergency room visits and previous visit during spring season.

Conclusion: Asthmatic children with intermittent asthma often lose asthma control and require controller therapy. This justifies asthma guideline recommendations to assess asthma control at follow-up visits and adjust therapy accordingly.

Keywords: Asthma; children; control; controller; intermittent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Asthma / drug therapy*
  • Asthma / ethnology
  • Asthma / physiopathology*
  • Body Mass Index
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disease Management
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Prospective Studies
  • Seasons
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sex Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Urban Population*

Substances

  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents