Determination of Quality of Life in Adult Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Asthma

Abstract

BACKGROUND One of the primary goals in the treatment of obstructive lung disease is to improve the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients. In the current cross-sectional study, we have attempted to identify the traditional physiological and clinical parameters that are independent determinants of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) in adult patients with moderate-to-severe asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a cross-sectional study. 89 asthmatic patients who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria during the allotted study period were enrolled in the study after obtaining their due consent. Diagnosis of asthma and its severity was based on guidelines set by GINA. They were then made to perform spirometer test as per standard guidelines. They were then handed out two questionnaires, junipers asthma quality of life questionnaire and a questionnaire to assess determinants of asthma. The data of the present study was nominal; therefore Pearson's chi-square test was applied. The data was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence interval. The data was analysed using SPSS version 11. RESULTS Mean age of population was 48.25 years with standard deviation of +/-15.64; 26.66% patients having average quality of life and 52.9% patients with good quality of life were using MDI with spacer. Similarly, 85% patients with history of allergy had an average quality of life and both are statistically significant. 43% of patients with moderate obstruction had an average quality of life, though not statistically significant. CONCLUSION From the present study, it was concluded that though most of the parameters other than drug delivery devices and history of allergy when compared with quality of life was statistically not significant. Though the findings were not statistically significant, the data from the study belonged to average-to-poor quality of life. This warrants further study with a larger sample size.