Age at asthma onset and asthma self-management education among adults in the United States

Objective: Asthma self-management education improves asthma-related outcomes. We conducted this analysis to evaluate variation in the percentages of adults with active asthma reporting components of asthma self-management education by age at asthma onset. Methods: Data from 2011 to 2012 Asthma Call-back Surveys were used to estimate percentages of adults with active asthma reporting six components of asthma self-management education. Components of asthma self-management education include having been taught to what to do during an asthma attack and receiving an asthma action plan. Differences in the percentages of adults reporting each component and the average number of components reported across categories of age at asthma onset were estimated using linear regression, adjusted for age, education, race/ethnicity, sex, smoking status, and years since asthma onset. Results: Overall, an estimated 76.4% of adults with active asthma were taught what to do during an asthma attack and 28.7% reported receiving an asthma action plan. Percentages reporting each asthma self-management education component declined with increasing age at asthma onset. Compared with the referent group of adults whose asthma onset occurred at 5–14 years of age, the percentage of adults reporting being taught what to do during an asthma attack was 10% lower among those whose asthma onset occurred at 65–93 years of age (95% CI: ?18.0, ?2.5) and the average number of components reported decreased monotonically across categories of age at asthma onset of 35 years and older. Conclusions: Among adults with active asthma, reports of asthma self-management education decline with increasing age at asthma onset.     

动脉硬化程度与哮喘相关性分析

目的探讨动脉硬化程度与哮喘的联系。方法检测255例参与者的baPWV及CRP水平,其中哮喘急性发作期患者85人,稳定期患者85人,对照组85人,最后进行统计学处理。结果哮喘急性发作期患者的baPWV与CRP水平较稳定期患者及对照组有明显升高。在哮喘急性发作期患者中,baPWV与CRP呈正相关(r=0.229,P=0.039)。哮喘急性发作期,稳定期及对照组中baPWV水平差异明显。结论动脉硬化程度与哮喘具有明显的相关性,baPWV水平的升高可能是哮喘急性加重的一个致病因素。     

Presence of Asthma with Night-time Asthma Symptoms is Associated with Impaired Health-Related Quality of Life in Children

Few studies have compared health-related quality of life between asthmatic and healthy children. This study used data from a cross-sectional survey of parents'/guardians of 406 children residing in rural areas. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate association between a categorical outcome variable (No asthma/No asthma symptoms; night-time asthma symptoms only; asthma diagnosis without night-time asthma symptoms; and asthma diagnosis with night-time asthma symptoms) and health-related quality of life indicators. Presence of night-time asthma symptoms among children with asthma was significantly associated with reduced health-related quality of life adjusting for other covariates. Children who had asthma without any night-time asthma symptoms did not have reduced health-related quality of life. Proper control of night-time asthma symptoms may help increase health-related quality of life in children.     

Asthma management practices at home in young inner-city children.

Information on parental asthma management practices for young children is sparse. The objective of this article is to determine if specific caregiver asthma management practices for children were associated with children's asthma morbidity. Caregivers of 100 inner-city children diagnosed with persistent asthma and participating in an ongoing asthma intervention study were enrolled and interviewed to ascertain measures of asthma morbidity, medication use, health care use (acute and primary care), and asthma management practices. Overall, asthma morbidity was high with almost two thirds of caregivers reporting their child having one or more emergency department visits within the last 6 months and 63% receiving specialty care for their asthma. Appropriate medication use was reported predominantly as albuterol and inhaled steroids (78%). However, only 42% of caregivers reported administering asthma medicines when their child starts to cough and less than half (39%) reported having an asthma action plan. There were no significant differences by asthma severity level for any asthma management practice. In conclusion, caregivers lack knowledge regarding cough as an early asthma symptom. Caregivers should be encouraged to review asthma action plans with health care providers at each medical encounter.     

Asthma Management Practices at Home in Young Inner-City Children

Information on parental asthma management practices for young children is sparse. The objective of this article is to determine if specific caregiver asthma management practices for children were associated with children's asthma morbidity. Caregivers of 100 inner-city children diagnosed with persistent asthma and participating in an ongoing asthma intervention study were enrolled and interviewed to ascertain measures of asthma morbidity, medication use, health care use (acute and primary care), and asthma management practices. Overall, asthma morbidity was high with almost two thirds of caregivers reporting their child having one or more emergency department visits within the last 6 months and 63% receiving specialty care for their asthma. Appropriate medication use was reported predominantly as albuterol and inhaled steroids (78%). However, only 42% of caregivers reported administering asthma medicines when their child starts to cough and less than half (39%) reported having an asthma action plan. There were no significant differences by asthma severity level for any asthma management practice. In conclusion, caregivers lack knowledge regarding cough as an early asthma symptom. Caregivers should be encouraged to review asthma action plans with health care providers at each medical encounter.     

Assessing Sleep Quality and Daytime Wakefulness in Asthma Using Wrist Actigraphy

This study evaluated the sleep/wake cycle of individuals with asthma in relation to asthma control, daytime sleepiness, and daytime activity. Ten persons with mild to moderate persistent asthma monitored their sleep quality and daytime wakefulness for 7 consecutive days using 24-hours wrist actigraphy. Degree of asthma control strongly correlated with sleep quality. Individuals whose asthma was not well controlled took longer to fall asleep, awoke more often, and spent more time awake during the night compared to those with well controlled asthma. Poor asthma control, use of rescue medications, and asthma symptoms were associated with daytime sleepiness and limitations in physical activity and emotional function. Forty percent of subjects reported clinically significant daytime sleepiness. Evaluating asthma throughout a 24-hour cycle provides valuable information on variations in the sleep/wake cycle associated with asthma control, use of rescue medications, and asthma symptoms.     

Airway inflammation in childhood asthma

Airway pathology has been extensively investigated in adulthood asthma, whereas only few studies examined bronchial biopsies in childhood asthma. To evaluate the airway pathology in children with asthma, we analyzed bronchial biopsies obtained from 23 children undergoing bronchoscopy for clinical indications other than asthma. Nine had mild/moderate asthma. Six had atopy without asthma, and eight had no atopy or asthma. We measured basement membrane thickness and quantified the number of eosinophils, mast cells, neutrophils, macrophages, T lymphocytes, and positive cells for transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and its receptors I and II (TGFbeta-RI and TGFbeta-RII) in subepithelium. Children with asthma had an increase in basement membrane thickness and in the number of eosinophils compared with control subjects, but not compared with children with atopy. They also had a decreased expression of TGFbeta-RII compared with both those with atopy and control subjects. In children with asthma, the number of eosinophils correlated negatively with TGFbeta-RII and positively with symptom duration. In conclusion, airway eosinophilia and basement membrane thickening, which are the pathologic features that are characteristic of adulthood asthma, are already present in children with mild asthma, and even in children with atopy without asthma. Moreover, in children with asthma but not in children with atopy without asthma, there is a downregulation of TGFbeta-RII.     

Airway remodelling in cough-variant asthma

Subepithelial-layer thickening, a pathological feature of airway remodelling, is present in cough-variant asthma. In bronchial biopsy samples we found mean subepithelial-layer thickness was 7.1 (SE 0.4) microm in patients with cough-variant asthma, 8.6 (0.4) microm in patients with classic asthma with wheezing, and 5.0 (0.2) microm in healthy controls. Thickness was significantly higher in patients with asthma than in controls, and was significantly greater in those with classic asthma than in those with cough-variant asthma. Early anti-inflammatory treatment might, therefore, be beneficial in cough-variant asthma, as recommended in classic asthma.     

Asthma control and need for future asthma controller therapy among inner-city Hispanic asthmatic children engaged in a pediatric asthma disease management program (the Breathmobile program,Mobile Asthma Care for Kids Network)

Objective: To determine whether significant numbers of asthmatic children with initially rated intermittent asthma later suffer poor asthma control and require the addition of controller medications. Methods: Inner-city Hispanic children were followed prospectively in an asthma-specific disease management system (Breathmobile) for a period of 2 years. Clinical asthma symptoms, morbidity treatment, and demographic data were collected at each visit. Treatment was based upon National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Expert Panel Report 3 asthma guidelines. Primary outcome was percentage of patients with intermittent asthma who had not well or poorly controlled asthma during subsequent visits and required controller agents. Secondary outcomes were factors associated with the maintenance of asthma control. Results: About 30.9% of the patients with initial rating of intermittent asthma had not well controlled and poorly controlled asthma during subsequent visits and required the addition of controller agents. Factors associated with good asthma control were compliance, no previous emergency room visits and previous visit during spring season. Conclusion: Asthmatic children with intermittent asthma often lose asthma control and require controller therapy. This justifies asthma guideline recommendations to assess asthma control at follow-up visits and adjust therapy accordingly.     

What Determines Knowledge of Asthma Among Young People and Their Families?

In this analysis, we sought to determine factors that predicted the level of asthma knowledge in a sample of adolescents with asthma and their parents. Eighty-five young people aged 10-24 years attending tertiary care asthma clinics and 46 of their parents answered validated respiratory and asthma knowledge questionnaires. Older adolescents were more knowledgeable about asthma than were younger adolescents (r=0.36, p=0.001). Young people with severe asthma (p=0.015) scored higher on the asthma knowledge questionnaire than those with mild/moderate asthma. Asthma knowledge among young people was related to that of their mothers (r=0.47, p=0.014), however, only age and the asthma knowledge of fathers significantly predicted adolescent asthma knowledge. Adolescents develop increasing autonomy for asthma self-management as they mature, but parents remain an important source of information about asthma for young people.     

Disease Burden of Patients with Asthma/COPD Overlap in a US Claims Database: Impact of ICD-9 Coding-based Definitions

The inclusion of an asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) population in the 2015 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease strategic documents has raised questions about the profile of these patients in clinical practice, as they are mostly excluded from asthma and COPD clinical trials. We estimated the disease burden, co-morbidities, and respiratory treatments of patients with asthma/COPD overlap, utilizing the Truven MarketScan commercial and Medicare databases. Patients with ≥1 COPD or chronic obstructive asthma diagnostic code were identified between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2011. The asthma/COPD overlap group was defined and stratified based upon type and frequency of asthma diagnostic code (chronic obstructive asthma only, COPD and chronic obstructive asthma, and COPD and ≥1 asthma code). 1,488,613 patients were identified; of these, 1,171,626 were diagnosed with COPD alone and 316,987 with asthma/COPD overlap. Patients with asthma and COPD had higher disease burden indicators and inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta-agonist use compared with COPD alone. This trend was consistent for all definitions of asthma/COPD overlap. Patients with obstructive asthma and COPD tended to be older, with greater disease burden compared with other definitions; this population may represent a more severe form of asthma/COPD overlap. Disease burden and treatment also varied based on the codes defining asthma/COPD overlap, indicating possible phenotypic differences. More clinical insight and detailed phenotyping is needed to determine the reasons for coding variation in asthma/COPD overlap, with implications for further research to address unmet needs.     

Predicting Emergency Department Utilization in Adults with Asthma: A Cohort Study

A consecutive sample of 378 adults with asthma were assessed at a university asthma program and then interviewed 1 year later regarding their need for emergency department (E.D.) asthma treatment. The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to determine whether any of their initial features could predict their subsequent need for E.D. asthma treatment. At one year, a total of 73 of the subjects had attended emergency departments for asthma. On entry, the 73 subjects had demonstrated more self-reported lifestyle restriction from asthma and more hospital admissions E.D. visits for asthma as well as poorer asthma control or than had the 305 subjects who had not required E.D. asthma treatment since entry to the cohort. This study suggests that special attention should be paid to subjects with asthma that interferes with their lifestyle and to those who have needed hospital admission for asthma.     

Asthma characteristics among older adults: using the California health interview survey to examine asthma incidence,morbidity and ethnic differences

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence, characteristics of asthma morbidity and care, and ethnic differences that exist in older adults with asthma in California. Methods: Data were from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). Characteristics of older adults (≥65 years) with and without asthma were compared using population-weighted estimates. Asthma-specific variables were compared among different ethnic groups. Multivariate analyses were preformed to determine factors associated with asthma status, asthma episodes/attacks, asthma symptom frequency and emergency department (ED) visits due to asthma. Results: Asthma was present in 8.1% of older adults, among which, 67.3% reported taking medication daily for asthma. Asthma symptoms were experienced every day by almost 20%, with over 34% of seniors with asthma having symptoms at least once per week. Despite having a lower frequency of asthma symptoms, Hispanics were 5.31 times more likely to visit the ED due to asthma than were Caucasians. Conclusions: The findings from the study showed that older adults with asthma had difficulty with asthma control. We recommend a focus on asthma education so that when symptoms do occur, options are available to avoid costly ED visits. Further research should focus on specific asthma management skills and adherence to asthma treatment regimen among ethnic groups.     

Peripheral airways involvement in children with asthma exacerbation

ObjectiveThe literature provides some evidence of peripheral airways key role in the pathogenesis of asthma. However, the extent to which lung periphery including acinar zone contribute to asthma activity and control in pediatric population is unclear. Therefore, the aim of the study was to estimate peripheral airways involvement in children with asthma exacerbation and stable asthma simultaneously via different pulmonary function tests.MethodsChildren with asthma exacerbation (n = 20) and stable asthma (n = 22) performed spirometry, body plethysmography, exhaled nitric oxide, impulse oscillometry (IOS), and multiple‐breath washout (MBW).ResultsPeripheral airway''s function indexes were increased in children with asthma, particularly in group with asthma exacerbation when compared with stable asthma group. The prevalence of abnormal results was significantly higher in asthma exacerbation. All children with asthma exacerbation had conductive ventilation inhomogeneity; 76% had acinar ventilation inhomogeneity. According to IOS measurements, resistance and reactance were within normal range, but other IOS parameters were significantly higher in children with asthma exacerbation compared with stable asthma group. The 36% of children with acute asthma had air trapping.ConclusionSignificant involvement of peripheral airways was observed in children with asthma, particularly in asthma exacerbation, which determine lung periphery as important additional target for therapy and provide new insights into pathophysiological process of pediatric asthma.     

Inflammatory subtypes in asthma: assessment and identification using induced sputum

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to investigate the detection of non-eosinophilic asthma using induced sputum. Although this is an important subtype of clinical asthma, its recognition is not standardized. METHODS: Adult non-smokers with asthma and healthy controls underwent sputum induction and hypertonic saline challenge. Non-eosinophilic asthma was defined as symptomatic asthma with normal sputum eosinophil counts. The normal range for sputum eosinophil count was determined using the 95th percentile from the healthy control group as a cut-off point. RESULTS: The recognition of non-eosinophilic asthma using eosinophil proportion was in agreement with a definition based on absolute eosinophil count (kappa 0.67). Non-eosinophilic asthma was a stable subtype over both the short term (4 weeks) and longer term (5 years, kappa 0.77). Airway inflammation in asthma could be categorized into four inflammatory subtypes based on sputum eosinophil and neutrophil proportions. These subtypes were neutrophilic asthma, eosinophilic asthma, mixed granulocytic asthma and paucigranulocytic asthma. Subjects with increased neutrophils (neutrophilic asthma and mixed granulocytic asthma) were older and had an increased total cell count and cell viability compared with other subtypes. CONCLUSION: Induced sputum eosinophil proportion is a good discriminator for eosinophilic asthma, providing a reproducible definition of a homogenous group. The remaining non-eosinophilic subjects are heterogeneous and can be further classified based on the presence of neutrophils. These inflammatory subtypes have important implications for the investigation and characterization of airway inflammation in asthma.     

Difference in airway reactivity in children with atopic vs nonatopic asthma.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the difference in the mechanisms of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in nonatopic asthma and in atopic asthma, we studied bronchial reactivity against nonspecific stimuli in children with atopic asthma and nonatopic asthma. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen children with nonatopic asthma, 24 children with atopic asthma, and 20 age-matched controls participated in this study. MEASUREMENTS: Inhalation challenge was performed by administering progressively doubling doses of methacholine with a continuous inhalation provocation method. The speed of bronchoconstriction to methacholine (Sm) and the speed of reversal of bronchoconstriction to methacholine after inhalation of a beta2-agonist (r-Sm), which was considered to represent the effect of the beta2-agonist, were calculated from the dose-response curve. RESULTS: The value of Sm was higher in the nonatopic asthma group than in the atopic asthma group and the control group. The value of r-Sm was also higher in the nonatopic asthma group than in the atopic asthma group, but did not differ from that in the control group. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that bronchial reactivity against methacholine and the beta2-agonist was greater in nonatopic asthma than in atopic asthma, and that the mechanism of BHR in children with nonatopic asthma may differ from that in children with atopic asthma.     

Asthma Knowledge and Asthma Management Behavior in Urban Elementary School Teachers

Background. Although schools are an important setting for asthma care in youth, teachers’ asthma knowledge and symptom management is poor. This study investigated the knowledge, prevention and management behaviors, and communication regarding asthma of teachers of low-income, ethnic minority students. It was hypothesized that relative to colleagues whose students did not have active asthma (i.e., did not have symptoms during the day), teachers of students with active asthma would have better asthma knowledge and that more would take asthma prevention steps and communicate with parents and school nurses. Methods. Drawing from 25 elementary schools in New York City, 320 pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade classroom teachers with at least one student with asthma completed measures assessing their asthma knowledge, steps taken to manage asthma, communication with the school nurse or parents, information they received about asthma, and whether or not they had at least one student in their class experience asthma symptoms. t test and chi-square were used to test hypotheses. Results. Asthma knowledge varied among teachers. Most could identify potential triggers, yet few knew that medication taken prior to exercise could prevent symptoms and that students with asthma need not avoid exercise. Communication between teachers and school nurses and between teachers and parents was lacking. Relative to colleagues whose students did not have active asthma, teachers whose students had active asthma had better asthma knowledge, more took steps to prevent students from having asthma symptoms, communicated with parents, and more initiated communication with the nurse. Conclusions. Teachers’ knowledge about asthma and asthma management is limited, especially among those whose students did not have active asthma. Teachers respond reactively to students who have symptoms in class by increasing prevention steps and communications with parents and the school nurse. A more proactive approach to managing asthma in schools is warranted.     

Indicators of asthma control among students in a rural,school-based asthma management program

Objective: The evaluation sought to determine if a comprehensive, school-based asthma management program in a small, rural school district helped students improve asthma control. Methods: To determine if students in the asthma program demonstrated better asthma control than students in a comparison school district, the evaluation team used a quasi-experimental, cross-sectional design and administered questionnaires assessing asthma control (which included FEV1 measurement) to 456 students with asthma in the intervention and comparison districts. Data were analyzed for differences in asthma control between students in the two districts. To determine if students in the intervention experienced increased asthma control between baseline and follow-up, the evaluation team used a one-group retrospective design. Program records for 323 students were analyzed for differences in percent of predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) between baseline and follow-up. Results: Students with asthma in the intervention district exhibited significantly better asthma control than students with asthma in the comparison district. Percent of predicted FEV1 did not change significantly between baseline and follow-up for the intervention participants; however, post hoc analyses revealed students with poorly controlled asthma at baseline had significantly higher FEV1 scores at follow-up, and students with well-controlled asthma at baseline had significantly lower FEV1 scores at follow-up. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the comprehensive school-based program led to improvements in asthma control for students with poorly controlled asthma at baseline, and school-based programs need mechanisms for tracking students with initially well-controlled asthma to ensure they maintain control.     

Association of gastroesophageal reflux disease with asthma control

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may make asthma difficult to control and may be a potential risk factor for frequent asthma exacerbations, but the mechanisms of the relationship between GERD and not well‐controlled asthma remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the association of GERD with asthma control in adults. Patients with asthma were consecutively recruited, and Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Reflux Diagnostic Questionnaire scores were determined. The patients were categorized into not well‐controlled asthma and well‐controlled asthma groups according to the ACT score. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between GERD and not well‐controlled asthma. Seven hundred and sixty‐eight patients with asthma were enrolled. The mean ACT score was 18.2 ± 3.6, and there were 161 (21.0%) patients with not well‐controlled asthma. The Reflux Diagnostic Questionnaire score was 10.5 ± 4.7, and 212 (27.6%) patients were complicated by GERD. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed the independent association of GERD with not well‐controlled asthma (odds ratio, 3.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.53–4.88) after other established contributors to asthma control were adjusted. In conclusion, there is an association of GERD with not well‐controlled asthma, independent of other potential contributors to asthma control.     

Asthma management in New York City schools: A classroom teacher perspective

Objective: Classroom teachers play an important role in facilitating asthma management in school but little is known about their perspectives around asthma management. We examined the perspectives of classroom teachers around barriers to school asthma management. Methods: We conducted key informant interviews with 21 inner-city classroom teachers from 3rd to 5th grades in 10 Bronx, New York elementary schools. Sampling continued until thematic saturation was reached. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and independently coded for common themes. We used thematic and content review to analyze interview data. Results: Seven themes representing teachers’ perspectives on in-school asthma management emerged: (1) the problematic process of identifying students with asthma; (2) poor familiarity with the city health department's asthma initiative and poor general knowledge of school policies on asthma management; (3) lack of competency in managing an acute asthma attack in the classroom and poor recognition of symptoms of an asthma attack; (4) lack of confidence in dealing with a hypothetical asthma attack in the classroom; (5) lack of quick access to asthma medication in school; (6) limited communication between school staff; and (7) enthusiasm about learning more about asthma management. Conclusions: Our results revealed several barriers contributing to suboptimal in-school asthma management: ineffective ways of identifying students with asthma, lack of teacher knowledge of guidelines on asthma management, lack of comfort in managing students’ asthma, inadequate access to asthma medication in school, and limited communication between school staff. These issues should be considered in the design of interventions to improve in-school asthma management.