Table 2.
Clinical characteristics (N=296)
| Characteristic
|
Value
|
|---|---|
| Obese a | 52% |
| Current smoker | 25% |
| Ever smoked | 46% |
| Age at diagnosis, years (mean±SD) | 20±18 |
| Duration of asthma, years (mean±SD) | 24±16 |
| Ever hospitalized for asthma | 67% |
| Asthma medications | |
| No medications | 6% |
| Only inhaled beta agonists | 25% |
| Any maintenance medication b | 69% |
| Ever took oral corticosteroids for asthma | 86% |
| Frequency of flares | |
| Once every few months/once a month | 70% |
| A few times a month/every week | 18% |
| Several times a week/every day | 12% |
| Seasonal exacerbation of symptoms | |
| Spring | 9% |
| Summer | 17% |
| Autumn | 6% |
| Winter | 43% |
| Change in season | 30% |
| No, the same throughout the year | 30% |
| Asthma knowledge, score (mean±SD) c | 58±20 |
| Asthma severity, score (mean±SD) d | 12±4 |
| Asthma quality of life, score (mean±SD) e | 3.5±1.0 |
a
body mass index ≥30 kilograms/meter2
b
includes long-acting beta agonists, inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, mast cell stabilizers, theophylline, oral corticosteroids
c
Asthma Self-Management Questionnaire, range 0–100, higher is more knowledge, n=291
d
Severity of Asthma scale, range 0–28, higher is more severe
e
Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, range 1–7, higher is better status