Aggravating factors of asthma among patients visited respiratory center at Shar Hospital outpatient in Sulaymaniyah-Kurdistan-Iraq

Abstract

Backgroundand objectives:Asthma is a prevalent chronic disease in Kurdistan region. Identification of asthma triggers is essential in preventing and managing the disease.Our aim was to determine the most common aggravating factor of asthma in Suleimani city and assessing the correlation of age groups and gender to specific aggravating factors.Methods:This data collection was an observational cross-sectional study implementedin the Outpatients clinics in Suleimani city-Kurdistan region/Iraq from 2018 to 2022. Study subjects included one hundred and fifty asthmatic patients (150). The diagnosis of asthma in selected patients was established prior to the study inclusions.Results:The common aggravating factors of asthma as perceived by patients were air pollution (80.7%), dusts storms (76.7%), infection (74%), smoking (69.3%), exercise (66.7%), detergents (64.7%) and cold weather (64%).The triggers of asthma in adolescent and adult patients are different regarding age and gender.Conclusions:The common triggers of asthma in asthmatic patients in Suleimani city are pollution, dusts, viral infection, and tobacco.