Abstract

JANE LARA, Alfredo et al. Analysis of the bronchial asthma classification form according to the severity of symptoms. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 2005, vol.34, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3046.

The severity of bronchial asthma was classified in 100 adult patients of both sexes from Havana City, Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa. Physicians of different specialties connected with Infomed, the Cuban health network, in an e-mail Discussion List created for this purpose (ASTHMA-L) took part in this work. .To classify bronchial asthma according to the criteria of the II Expert Panel of 1997, it was used the survey of Iowa's Virtual Hospital, taken from its site in Internet. A mathematical assessment of the answers to the questionnaire was made. A critical analysis of the results of Iowa's questionnaire was made. They were compared to the real results of the patients with different predictive values of peak expirating flow (PEF) and they were reclassified later. The final classification in this study was given mainly by the PEF values (question 4) and to a lesser extent by the night symptoms (question 3). The classification of 95 % of the cases was determined by these 2 questions. Therefore, the value of questions 1 and 2 was little significant. According to these results, it was considered that the way the scheme to reach an individual classification of the severity of the symptoms of asthma in accordance with the "Global Initiative for Asthma Prevention and Management" is implemented at present is inaccurate and susceptible to errors. It is recommended that the scheme of questions should be reanalyzed, specially those related to the day symptoms and physical activity.

Keywords : Chronic asthma; classification; severity of the symptoms.