Quality-of-life and asthma control with low-dose inhaled corticosteroids

Guidelines are available to assist healthcare professionals in the appropriate management of patients with asthma, a highly prevalent and debilitating disease. Despite these guidelines many patients are still not being optimally treated, often resulting in poor asthma control and consequent impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The present study concerns the findings of a multinational survey designed to evaluate the reported level of asthma control and HRQoL of patients with asthma. This analysis focuses on those patients receiving treatment with low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) alone. The findings confirm that many patients on a low-dose ICS alone are not receiving appropriate treatment to control their asthma, and this has a marked negative impact on their HRQoL. Revising management and treatment can improve asthma control and HRQoL for these patients, liberating them from the burden of this disease.