[INCLIASMA project - Clinical inertia in asthma].

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Primary Care Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Asthma is a prevalent condition with significant impact on patient quality of life and healthcare costs.
• Despite established clinical practice guidelines, suboptimal asthma control remains a widespread issue.
• Effective asthma management in primary care is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate current asthma management practices within primary care settings in Aragón, Spain.
• To identify discrepancies between clinical guidelines and real-world application of asthma care.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for improving asthma management.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, multicenter, non-randomized study utilizing a two-round Delphi methodology.
• A survey was administered to 15 experienced Primary Care physicians focusing on diagnosis, control, adherence, and treatment.
• Expert consensus was sought on a 28-item questionnaire regarding asthma management.

Main Results:

• Consensus was achieved on 82.14% of the surveyed items.
• Physicians reported challenges in early and accurate asthma diagnosis.
• Key issues identified include confusion between asthma control and severity, variable adherence perceptions, overuse of short-acting bronchodilators, and significant therapeutic inertia.

Conclusions:

• The INCLIASMA study identified significant controversies in current asthma management practices.
• There is a notable divergence between clinical practice guidelines and actual physician behavior.
• The findings provide a basis for developing targeted recommendations to enhance asthma care in primary settings.