Asthma control in real life: ARGA (Respiratory allergic diseases: monitoring study of GINA and ARIA guidelines) project

Backgorund: Asthma control and treatment efficacy in the real life of the general population are scarcely investigated. Objectives: to evaluate the impact of GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) guidelines on patient's control and quality of life by general practitioners (GP). Methods: self reported and GP data on respiratory allergic diseases/symptoms, daily activity limitations, quality of life and disease control were available for 1811 asthmatic/rhinitic patients. Results: about 90% of patients affected by asthma resulted under-classified by GP. A good asthma control resulted in 67.3% versus 53.7% of patients comparing GP and patients data, respectively. Patients labelled as 'controlled' GP but as 'uncontrolled' by patients data (i.e. Asthma Control Test) resulted to have the worst quality of life (score RHINASTHMA 30.8), high prevalence rates of frequent asthma-like symptoms in the last 12 months (28.2%) and of daily activity limitations (14.0%). Conclusions: high percentages of asthma severity and control misclassification seem to be still present in GP setting, thus probably determining an improper management of patients with a consequent impairment in quality of life.