Asthma control and management: a patient's perspective

Irish asthma guidelines, published in 2000, are based on the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) international asthma management guidelines and provide recommendations for optimal asthma management and control. Using the same methodology as employed in the Asthma Insights and Reality in Europe (AIRE) survey, which assessed whether specific goals of asthma management based on GINA were being realised, 400 patients with current asthma in Ireland were interviewed in the Asthma Insights and Reality in Ireland (AIRI) survey to determine their healthcare utilisation, symptom severity, activity limitations and level of asthma control. Of those surveyed, acute services were utilised by a significant number of respondents. Over the previous year, 27% had either an emergency visit to the hospital or their general practitioner (GP) and 7% were hospitalised for asthma. In terms of asthma control, 19% experienced sleep disturbance at least once a week, 29% missed work or school and 37% of respondents experienced symptoms during physical activity over the previous 4-week period. Based on these findings, the level of asthma control and asthma management in Ireland falls short of recommended national and international asthma guidelines.