Características, control de la enfermedad y calidad de vida de los pacientes asignados al ‹‹Programa de Atención al Niño Asmático›› de un centro de atención primaria.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, the degree of disease control, and quality of life of patients and patients’ caregivers assigned to the "Asthmatic Child Care Program" in a primary healthcare center. Methods: a descriptive observational study, with prospective collection of data from three standardized questionnaires, delivered to the patient or caregivers: Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ)TM, Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ)TM and Pediatric Asthma Caregivers Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ)TM, and retrospective collection of data from the patient's medical history. The sample comes from the population included in the "Asthmatic Child Care Program" of a primary healthcare center. Results: 40% of the patients had a maternal or paternal history of asthma, and 80% had a personal history of atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, or food allergy. Average ACQTM result in 0.87 +/- 1.06 points (range 0 – 3.6). Average PAQLQTM results in: 6.08 +/- 0.77 (range 5 – 7). PACQLQTM mean of 5.48 +/- 1.06 (range 3 – 7). In patients with ACQTM 1 it was: 4.66 +/- 0.72. Conclusions: The presence of personal atopy and a family history of asthma is the risk factor most related to asthma development in our study. The degree of asthma control in the sample can be improved, with poorer disease control being related to a lower score on the quality-of-life scale, making it necessary to implement improvement measures in the educational, clinical, and healthcare settings.