[Specialized care and primary care in the treatment of asthma: do differences exist?]

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether differences exist in the monitoring, diagnosis and treatment of asthmatic patients between family doctors (FD) and pneumology specialists (PD).

Design: A descriptive crossover study, performed through an interview with the patients and a medical exploration.

Setting: Six health centres.

Patients: 195 asthmatic patients between 14 and 65, chosen by simple random sampling from among all those registered by computer in the SICAP.

Measurements and main results: Each patient answered a structured interview and had a spirometry test. Which doctor usually monitored their illness, social and demographic data, morbidity parameters, treatment prescribed and their compliance with it, were all determined. 66% of patients were under their FD. No differences were found in the clinical characteristics of patients treated by their FD against those treated by their PD.

Conclusions: Most adult asthmatics are under the care of FDs; however, these appear to under-treat to a considerable degree, especially respecting the use of inhaled corticosteroids. It must be emphasised strongly that Asthma is an inflammatory disease; and FDs must become better informed of the directives of the international consensus on asthma.