Care profile of asthmatic children and adolescents at a university general pediatrics clinic

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood asthma is the primary noncommunicable chronic disease in childhood. In Brazil, the prevalence of asthma symptoms is 24.3% in children and 19% in adolescents, with 17.8% occurring in adolescents in Belo Horizonte. Objective: Evaluate the prevalence and treatment of asthma in children and adolescents treated at a university clinic. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study, analyzing electronic records of children aged 6 to 18 treated at a general pediatrics outpatient clinic in Belo Horizonte between July 2020 and July 2022. Results: Among the diagnostic records of 218 patients, 50 (22.94%) had a clinical diagnosis of asthma, 28 (12.84%) had asthma exacerbation episodes in the last 12 months, and only 2 (4%) reported a functional diagnosis. The symptom control level, according to GINA criteria, was logged in 12 records: 8 well-controlled, 2 partially controlled, and 2 uncontrolled. There was an association between inhaled corticosteroid use and asthma attacks in the last year. Conclusion: The prevalence of diagnosed asthma in the sample was 22.94%, higher than in Belo Horizonte and Brazil. However, the prevalence of active asthma was 12.84%, lower than in other studies. Spirometry was underutilized, with 90% of patients lacking requests and/or records in the medical records. The analysis of epidemiology and treatment quality was hindered by the lack of information and standardization in medical records, compromising patient diagnosis and treatment.