Misperception of poor asthma control in the outpatients clinic of a tertiary hospital in Rio de Janeiro.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of patients with asthma with misperception of poor control of their disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of patients with asthma and aged ≥18 years. Asthma control was assessed by the Asthma Control Test and the Global Initiative for Asthma questionnaire. The Kappa coefficient was used to analyze the agreement between the results of these tests and the patients' perception of asthma control, defined by the response to one question of the Asthma Control Test: "How do you evaluate your asthma control during the last 4 weeks?". RESULTS: Among the 71 patients aged 19 to 81 years and a mean of 57.7±13.9 years, there were 27 (38%) controlled, according to the Asthma Control Test, and 18 (25.3%) using the Global Initiative for Asthma questionnaire. The Kappa coefficients of the results of these tests and the perception of control by the patients were 0.4 and 0.29, respectively. Among the 41 (57.7%) patients who considered themselves controlled, 18 (43.9%) had a misperception of their poor control, as per the Asthma Control Test, and 25 (61%) by the Global Initiative for Asthma. CONCLUSION: Applying the Asthma Control Test, it was observed that almost half of the participants had a misperception of their poor control of the disease and, according to the Global Initiative for Asthma questionnaire, more than half of the sample did not notice the lack of asthma control.

Misperception of poor asthma control in the outpatients clinic of a tertiary hospital in Rio de Janeiro / Má percepção da falta de controle da asma em ambulatório de hospital terciário do Rio de Janeiro

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the proportion of patients with asthma with misperception of poor control of their disease. Methods A cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of patients with asthma and aged ≥18 years. Asthma control was assessed by the Asthma Control Test and the Global Initiative for Asthma questionnaire. The Kappa coefficient was used to analyze the agreement between the results of these tests and the patients' perception of asthma control, defined by the response to one question of the Asthma Control Test: "How do you evaluate your asthma control during the last 4 weeks?". Results Among the 71 patients aged 19 to 81 years and a mean of 57.7±13.9 years, there were 27 (38%) controlled, according to the Asthma Control Test, and 18 (25.3%) using the Global Initiative for Asthma questionnaire. The Kappa coefficients of the results of these tests and the perception of control by the patients were 0.4 and 0.29, respectively. Among the 41 (57.7%) patients who considered themselves controlled, 18 (43.9%) had a misperception of their poor control, as per the Asthma Control Test, and 25 (61%) by the Global Initiative for Asthma. Conclusion Applying the Asthma Control Test, it was observed that almost half of the participants had a misperception of their poor control of the disease and, according to the Global Initiative for Asthma questionnaire, more than half of the sample did not notice the lack of asthma control.

RESUMO Objetivo Determinar a proporção de pacientes com asma com percepção inadequada do mau controle de sua doença. Métodos Estudo transversal com amostra de conveniência de pacientes com asma e idade ≥18 anos. Avaliou-se o controle da asma por meio do Asthma Control Test e do questionário do Global Initiative for Asthma. Utilizou-se o coeficiente Kappa para análise da concordância entre os resultados desses testes e a percepção do controle da asma pelo paciente, definida pela resposta a uma questão do Asthma Control Test: "Como você avalia o controle da sua asma durante as últimas 4 semanas?". Resultados Entre os 71 pacientes com idades entre 19 e 81 anos e média de 57,7±13,9 anos, existiam 27 (38%) controlados, segundo o Asthma Control Test, e 18 (25,3%) de acordo com o questionário do Global Initiative for Asthma. Os coeficientes de Kappa entre os resultados desses testes e a percepção do controle pelos pacientes foram, respectivamente, 0,4 e 0,29. Entre os 41 (57,7%) pacientes que se consideravam controlados, 18 (43,9%) tinham percepção inapropriada do seu mau controle, de acordo com o Asthma Control Test, e 25 (61%) segundo o Global Initiative for Asthma. Conclusão Aplicando-se o Asthma Control Test, observou-se que quase metade dos participantes tinha percepção inadequada de seu mau controle da doença e, segundo o questionário da Global Initiative for Asthma, mais da metade da amostra não percebeu o descontrole da asma.