Only 40% of asthma pts undergo Pulmonary function testing

in Korea

The HIRA Announces 2020 Asthma adequacy results

Although it is recommended to take pulmonary function test at least once a year to manage diseases in asthma patients, only less than half of all patients are tested.

 

The HIRA announced on the 3rd that it will analyze and disclose the results of the 2020 (8th) asthma adequacy evaluation to mark World Asthma Day.

 

As a result of the evaluation, the rate of Pulmonary function test was steadily increasing, but only 42.4% of the patients subject to evaluation were tested, which was still low.

 

For early detection of asthma exacerbation and management of diseases such as drug control, Pulmonary function tests should be performed at least once a year.

 

(Guidelines for Asthma Treatment, Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2020) By age, the pulmonary function test rate in their 70s was the highest at 48.5%, and those in their 90s and older were the lowest at 27.6%.

 

By gender, 40.9% of women and 44.2% of men showed a lower rate of pulmonary function tests for women of all ages than men.

 

The ratio of ICS prescription patients was also low at 55.9%, showing low results for both tests and prescription indicators.

 

Inhalation steroids are the most effective preventive drugs for maintaining asthma control and should be used in all possible asthma patients.

 

(Guidelines for Asthma Care, Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2020) Institutions with pulmonary function test equipment showed better results in all evaluation indicators than institutions without.

 

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that can prevent the deterioration of the disease and hospitalization if it is treated effectively in an outpatient clinic.

 

In 2019, the prevalence of asthma over the age of 19 in Korea was 3.2% and 5.0% over the age of 65, and the asthma hospitalization rate was 65 per 100,000 people, higher than the OECD average of 34.4.

 

Since the number of patients receiving treatment is less than the prevalence of asthma estimated by the national health statistics, it is more important to conduct lung function tests for early diagnosis of asthma.

 

Kim Yang-joong, a member of the HIRA, said, "There are some types of respiratory tests that can be easily taken," and explained, "Not only suspected asthma patients but also patients undergoing treatment are encouraged to take respiratory tests at least once a year." The HIRA is unveiling a hospital with good results in the adequacy evaluation of asthma so that it can be continuously managed at a nearby local hospital.