[Assessment of symptoms in asthma patients]

An important prerequisite for an effective institution of the required medication in asthma patients is the correct assessment of the severity of obstruction on the basis of subjective symptoms. However, empirical data are hardly available to date on the accuracy with which symptoms are reported by asthma patients under everyday conditions. In the present study extending over 30 days entered twice daily in an asthma logbook plus the estimated and measured peak flow. Assessed and measured peak flow showed fair agreement, albeit with high interindividual variation. The accuracy of assessment improved in about one-half of the participants in the study in course of time. There was a particularly marked link between the measured peak flow and those subjective symptoms that characterise obstructive airway disease complaints.