About asthma
Asthma is a respiratory disease defined by The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) as:
“a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role. The chronic inflammation is associated with airway hyperresponsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, particularly at night or in the early morning. These episodes are usually associated with widespread, but variable, airflow obstruction within the lung that is often reversible either spontaneously or with treatment.” 1
It is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide (Figure 1), affecting an estimated 235 million people.2 Annual worldwide asthma deaths have been estimated at 250,000 and 80% of these deaths occur in low and lower-middle income countries.2,3
Asthma seriously affects the quality of life of both patients and their families – in 2005, the Global Asthma Physician and Patient Survey found that 41% of patients are limited in their daily activities by asthma.4
Worldwide, complete asthma control is also uncommon in children. Parents often underestimate their children’s disease severity, overestimate their degree of asthma control and have concerns surrounding steroid-associated side effects,6 all of which can have an impact on adherence to treatment.
Figure 1: Worldwide prevalence of clinical asthma5
References
- From the Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2011. Available from: http://www.ginasthma.org/.
- World Health Organization factsheet on asthma, May 2011. Available from: http://www.who.int/respiratory/asthma/en/.
- World Allergy Organization White Book on Allergy, 2011. Available from: http://www.worldallergy.org/index.php.
- The Global Asthma Physician and Patient Survey, 2005. Available from: http://www.gappsurvey.org/index.html.
- Masoli M, Fabian D, Holt S, et al. The global burden of asthma: executive summary of the GINA Dissemination Committee report. Allergy 2004;59:469-78.
- Carroll WD, Wildhaber J, Brand PL. Parent misperception of control in childhood/adolescent asthma: The room to breathe survey. Eur Respir J 2011;39:90-96.