INDEXES OF MORBIDITY AND CONTROL OF ASTHMAS IN ADULT PATIENTS EXPOSEDTO ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO-SMOKE

The study was undertaken to compare the indices of morbidity and contr ol of asthma in 100 adult patients exposed to environmental tobacco sm oke (ETS) inhalation (group 2), with 100 asthmatics not exposed (group 1). Exposure was established from the history of smoking by the patie nt's spouse and other close contacts. Asthma control and morbidity wer e assessed during their follow-up visits in the chest outpatient clini c by inquiring into the emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizat ion, acute episodes, requirement of parenteral drugs at home, corticos teroids, and maintenance bronchodilators in the preceding 1-year perio d. Index per patient was also calculated. Lung function was recorded b y the measurement of forced expiratory flows on the same day of the fo llow-up visit. The mean age and disease duration were comparable, but the expiratory flows were lower in the patients exposed to ETS. More p atients in group 2 required daily bronchodilators (66 percent) and int ermittent corticosteroids (56 percent). The number of ED visits, acute episodes, and parenteral bronchodilators per patient were significant ly more (p<0.01) in group 2 patients. Similarly, the number of weeks o f absence from work and of corticosteroid requirement were more (p<0.0 1) in the ETS-exposed patients. We conclude that the control of asthma is poor and morbidity greater in adult patients with asthma exposed t o ETS at home and/or at work.