BALLOON (Corticosteroid/laBA inhaLers in adoLescents' Asthma: Assessment Of Patients satisfactiON) Study
Condition: Asthma
MeSH terms: Asthma
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Patients' satisfaction with their asthma medication devices is usually decided by using
      properly designed questionnaires. These questionnaires are to be used to evaluate patients'
      opinion, which is considered very important for the selection of a device.

      The Feeling of Satisfaction with Inhaler (FSI-10) is a self-completed questionnaire designed
      to assess the patient opinion regarding the satisfaction and usability of the inhalers
      irrespectively of the drug used. It consists of 10 question each with 5 possible responses on
      a 5-point Likert scale scored from 5 to 1, respectively. The total score can range between 10
      and 50. The higher the score, the higher the feeling of patient satisfaction from the
      inhaler.
    

Detailed description: 
      Childhood and adolescents' asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and is the
      major cause of absenteeism from school students. To deal with the disease often require
      hospitalization, fortunately, very rare enough to be life-threatening. Since the mid-80s had
      clearly expressed by several centers to observe the rising incidence of the disease. The next
      year observation was confirmed many times. Childhood asthma has been characterized as a
      disease of modern Western civilization. It affects a large proportion of the child population
      and seems to take longer epidemic character.

      From studies carried out recently in Greece found that children of school age asthmatic type
      symptoms during the past 12 months appear to 5-10% of pupils. The rates are doubled when the
      question is not limited to the last 12 months. Also in a study involving 2133 children aged 7
      and 18 years, the prevalence of asthma was 7.7% and 4.7% (at the age of 7 and 18 years
      respectively) and chronic asthma 19.6% and 26.3% (at the age of 7 and 18 years,
      respectively), while over half of the children (58.2%) with early asthma (asthma diagnosed
      before age 7) had no symptoms at the age of 7. At the age of 18 still had symptoms for 7.6%
      of children with early asthma and 48.2% of children who developed asthma between 7-18 years
      (6.7% of study participants).

      For the onset of childhood asthma synergize two factors: genetic, ie heredity, and
      environmental, that is the environment in which we live. There is a predisposition for the
      disease and the environment favors the onset. So to increase the prevalence implicated: a)
      genetic predisposition, b) the method of construction of houses, c) smoking (assets -
      liabilities), c) indoor pollution, d) atmospheric pollution, e) the modern way of eating and
      clothing and f) preventing illness by a large number of serious infections due to the
      widespread use of vaccines.Most asthma medications are administered using suitable inhalers.
      There are various types of devices that facilitate the administration of inhaled medications
      in young children. The correct use of inhalational devices is very important for the
      treatment of asthma. If the patient does not understand the instructions, the drug is
      deposited satisfactorily lungs, ie organ must act, so there is no remission.
    

Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        180 asthmatic adolescents (60 per device) aged 12-18 years using their inhalation device at
        least one month before study enrolment. This will be a real-life, regular clinical practice
        assesment.
      
Keywords: asthma; Dry Powder Inhalers; FSI-10 questionnaire