Avaliação da qualidade de vida em pacientes com asma no Piauí

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects a significant portion of the global population, directly impacting patients' quality of life. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the influence of asthma on the quality of life of patients treated at the Pulmonology Outpatient Clinic of Getúlio Vargas Hospital (HGV) in Teresina, Piauí, using the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional study with prospectively collected data, involving 42 adult asthmatic patients between September 2022 and January 2024. The AQLQ was applied to evaluate the disease's impact on four domains: symptoms, activity limitation, emotional function, and environmental stimuli. Patients were divided into two groups: treated and untreated, and statistical analysis was performed to verify differences in the mean global score and scores for each AQLQ domain. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The participants’ mean age was 46.6 years, with a significant predominance of females (85.7%). The data indicated no significant difference in the mean global score between the treated group and the group without pharmacological therapy, suggesting similar patterns of disease control in both groups. The “symptoms” domain was the only one to show a significant difference (p < 0.005) between the two groups. This result suggests that pharmacological treatment contributes to better symptom control, reducing their frequency and intensity. In the other domains “activity limitation,” “emotional function,” and “exposure to environmental stimuli” no statistically significant differences were observed. These findings suggest that although pharmacological treatment aids in disease control, other factors also affect the individual's quality of life, such as psychosocial aspects, which influence daily activities, emotional state, and exposure to environmental stimuli. CONCLUSION: The quality of life of asthma patients involves multiple factors. Pharmacological treatment is important for symptom control; however, other aspects also impact disease management. Thus, complementary strategies are essential to address emotional, social, and functional limitations, promoting a holistic improvement in these patients' quality of life