Current health care of childhood bronchial asthma in Alexandria, Egypt

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient clinics of all specialized children's hospitals in Alexandria. The aim was to describe the health care delivered to children suffering from asthma and how far it complied with recent therapeutic guidelines. The pattern of asthma management was characterized by a significant underuse of prophylactic drugs in moderate/severe chronic asthma, underuse of the inhalation mode of delivery, and corticosteroids abuse as a prophylactic in between acute exacerbations in mild asthma. Also, assessment of pulmonary function [peak-flow rate] was rarely performed