ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Asthma is the chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, and the inhalation treatment is the most convenient way to deliver the medication directly to the airways. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between respiratory symptom scores in asthmatic outpatients and their satisfaction with inhaled asthma medication. METHOD: In 124 patients, (39 males; mean age 45 +/- 18 years; mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV) 71.8 +/- 23.4% predicted), respiratory symptoms were determined by 4-item questionnaire for most frequent asthma symptoms--cough, wheezing, dyspnea and chest tightness (all of them graded from 1--without symptoms, 2--mild, 3--moderate, and 4--severe symptoms), with overall score (from 4 to 16), as well as by scale for assessment of sinonasal symptoms--the 20-item sinonasal outcome test (SNOT-20) (in 65 out of 124 patients). SNOT-20 scores ranged from 0 to 5, where higher score indicated more manifested symptom. Patients' satisfaction was measured by standardized "Satisfaction with Inhaled Asthma Treatment Questionnaire" (SATQ), which scores were calculated for the overall satisfaction as well as for individual domains (effectiveness of treatment, easy application, medication burden, and side-effects and related worries). The bigger the score the better the satisfaction, and vice versa. RESULTS: The highest degree of correlation with overall satisfaction scores was found (using the Pearson's coefficient of linear correlation) for the scores of wheezing (r = -0.271; p = 0.002). SNOT-20 scores best correlated with side-effects and worries domain scores. CONCLUSION: The severity of respiratory symptoms in the asthmatics is strongly correlated with satisfaction with inhaled medication. Improving the asthmatic symptoms results in enhancement of their satisfaction with inhaled medication and compliance.
