Journal of Asthma 

About: Journal of Asthma is an academic journal published by Informa. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Asthma & Population. It has an ISSN identifier of 0277-0903. Over the lifetime, 4490 publications have been published receiving 86272 citations. The journal is also known as: J Asthma.

Misdiagnosis of COPD and asthma in primary care patients 40 years of age and over.

Abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often misdiagnosed as asthma, leading to inappropriate treatment and suboptimal patient outcomes. As part of a prospective study of patients with a history consistent with obstructive lung disease, we compared prior diagnostic labels with a study diagnosis based on spirometric results. We enrolled persons 40 years of age or older with prior diagnoses or medications consistent with obstructive lung disease. Patients were recruited via random mailing to primary care practices in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Denver, Colorado. Prior diagnoses of chronic bronchitis or emphysema (CBE) and asthma were reported by the subjects. Participants underwent pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. A study diagnosis of COPD was defined using post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) < 0.70. Spirometric examination was complete in 597 patients, of whom 235 (39.4%) had a study diagnosis of COPD. Among subjects with a spirometry-based...

Overlap syndrome of asthma and COPD predicts low quality of life.

Abstract: Background. In clinical practice, patients whose airway disease shares features of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain poorly recognized. Material and methods. The study population consisted of 1546 patients with a diagnosis of asthma or COPD or both. Based on patient-reported outcomes and retrospective medical record data, the study population was divided into three groups: () asthma only, () COPD only, and () both asthma and COPD (overlap syndrome group). We evaluated patient characteristics associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Results. In many respects, the overlap group fell between the asthma and COPD groups. In the overlap group, however, HRQoL was the poorest of all. In the logistic regression model, with the asthma group as the reference, both the overlap and the COPD group showed higher risk for low HRQoL [odd ratio (OR): 1.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–3.2; and OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0–3.2; respectively]. In addition, female gender, obesity, ...

Asthma and Emotion: A Review

Abstract: This review of the empirical literature on the relationship between asthma and emotion presents an explanatory model of the connection between them. Asthmatics tend to report and display a high level of negative emotion, and asthma exacerbations have been linked temporally to periods of heightened emotionality. Causality may be bidirectional. Hypothesized mediators for the relationship between asthma and emotionality include vagal and alpha-sympathetic hyperreactivity, predominant obstruction in the larger airways, individual response stereotypy, direct effects of emotion-related facial muscle tension on the airways, the emotional effects of asthma medications, heightened respiratory drive, and hyperventilation. Predictions are presented for research on this model of asthma and emotion, and for the psychological treatment of asthma.

Psychological factors associated with medication nonadherence in asthmatic children.

Abstract: Adherence with inhaled beta-agonists and corticosteroids in 24 asthmatic children was tracked over 3 months utilizing the metered-dose inhaler chronolog (MDIC). Patients seldom took all of their medications as prescribed, and failed to take any inhaled corticosteroid doses on a median of 41.8% of days or inhaled beta-agonists on 28.1% of days despite prescribed daily use. Medication nonadherence was correlated with lower levels of asthma knowledge (Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire) and family dysfunction (Family Assessment Device), but not child behavior disorder (Child Behavior Checklist). Patients tended to dramatically over-report medication use. Improved identification of the markers of nonadherence can directly facilitate more efficient targeting of behavioral interventions, resulting in improved adherence, better illness control, and less requirement of urgent medication intervention.