Journal Article

Level of Compliance with Spanish Guideline Recommendations in the Management of Asthma

Cabrera Cesar, Eva, Aguilar Galvez, Ana, Martinez Mesa, Álvaro, Reina Marfil, Nuria, Velasco Garrido, Jose Luis, Gómez Rodríguez, Belen, Lopez Garcia, Javier, Piñel Jimenez, Lorena, Sanchez Alvarez, Esther

2024

Overview

To describe the clinical management of asthmatic patients and the level of compliance with the (GEMA, Spanish Guidelines for Asthma Management) in the influential al area of Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Málaga (Spain). Descriptive, cross-sectional study in asthma patients from the Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital influential area, Málaga (Spain). Asthma Control Test (ACT) results, demographic and clinical characteristics, and GEMA indicators of quality asthma care were obtained from each participating patient. Two hundred and eighty-eight patients (64.2% woman, mean age 48.6 years) were included in the study. The evaluation of the level of compliance with the GEMA quality indicators showed that in 20.8% of the patients the diagnosis of asthma was confirmed by spirometry and bronchodilator test, and 52.5% of the patients with suspicion of allergic asthma performed a sensitization test. Among the smoker patients, 76.3% were recommended to stop smoking; 14.2% of the patients received a paper-based educational plan. Regarding asthma treatment, 92.3% of patients with persistent asthma received inhaled glucocorticoids (IGC). IGC and LABA were the most common treatments for asthma, used in combination (ICG + LABA) in 139 (48.3%) patients; 32.6% discontinued SABA treatment during the study period. Asthma was well controlled in 54.9% of the patients (ACT score ≥20), and 13.9% of the patients registered exacerbations during the previous year with a mean (SD) of 1.38 (0.74) events. Most of the GEMA quality indicators of asthma care are not followed in real-world clinical practice. Specialists select the best option among the available treatments but there is an unmet need for training plans in other relevant aspects, such as diagnosis and/or disease monitoring.

• Publisher: Dove Medical Press Limited,Taylor & Francis Ltd,Dove Press,Dove Medical Press
• Subject: Asthma / asthma control / asthma management / Bronchodilators / clinical guidelines / Compliance / compliance with guidelines / Corticosteroids / Diagnosis / Emergency medical care / Health care / Hospitals / indicators of quality care / Medical law / Medical research / Medicine, Experimental / Patients / Population / Primary care / Respiratory agents / Smoking / Spirometry