OBJECTIVES To study a sample of asthmatic children to get to know how the disease is managed by caretakers and to identify predictive factors associated with attendance in emergency room for asthma. METHODS A cross-sectional study nested in a cohort was undertaken in the urban area of Pelotas, Southern Brazil. 981 children aged 4-5 years, who belong to the cohort of 1993, participated in this...

Background During the transition processes, the Western Balkan countries were affected by conflicts and transition-related changes. Life expectancy in these countries is lower, while the mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is higher in comparison with western and northern parts of Europe. The primary aim of this study was to analyze the treatment possibilities for the most common NC...

OBJECTIVE To examine the opinions of Libyan doctors regarding the quality of drug information provided by pharmaceutical company representatives (PCRs) during detailing visits. METHOD An anonymous survey was conducted among 1,000 doctors from selected institutes in Tripoli, Benghazi and Sebha. Doctors were asked questions regarding the quality of information provided during drug-detailing vis...

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: How do social, physical and psychological factors affect asthma and asthma management in older people? How can we minimise their impact and enhance quality of life for older people with asthma? Does inequity based on age, sex, socioeconomic status and/or area of residence affect accessibility, quality and effectiveness of care for older people with asthma? What is the exte...

PURPOSE Asthma-related morbidity and mortality are increasing, and the financial burden imposed by this condition will substantially increase. Nevertheless, little information is available regarding the nature and magnitude of the burden due to asthma at the national level. This study was conducted to characterize the financial burden imposed by asthma in the Republic of Korea at the national l...

Several studies suggested an association between the regular use of β2-agonists and asthma deaths. Whether this association represents adverse effects of β-agonist use or is entirely due to disease severity is a matter of ongoing debate. Previous literature indicates that confounding by poor asthma control may explain the apparent deleterious effects of inhaled β2-agonists. Tolerance to nonbron...

In their review of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), Esposito et al. stated that in the US and Europe, LAIV is not recommended for children and adults with asthma and children younger than 5 years of age with a history of recurrent wheezing. While this statement is accurate for the US, it is not accurate for the European Union. The European Medicines Agency approved LAIV for use in chil...

Allergic asthma is a complex inflammatory disorder characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilic inflammation and hypersecretion of mucus. Current therapies include β2-agonists, cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonists and corticosteroids. Although these drugs demonstrate beneficial effects, their adverse side effects limit their long-term use. Thus, the development of new compo...

BACKGROUND Because of the potential risk of interaction with, and underuse of, conventional medications, it is important to document the prevalence of the use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) in asthmatic children. OBJECTIVE To ascertain the prevalence and type of CAMs, and to identify factors associated with their use. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of children who prese...