How asthmatic children dealt with the coronavirus pandemia? Adherence to Controller Medications and Level of Control among Children with Asthma Registered in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Background: Coronavirus disease ۲۰۱۹ pandemic had a great effect on the lives of asthmatic children. In this study we assessed changes in medication adherence and asthma control rate among our registered children with pediatric asthma. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on ۱۱۳ patients registered in our asthma and allergy clinic in Mashhad, Iran. We called them via phone and completed a questionnaire on the level of asthma medication adherence and the asthma control test (ACT) before and in the ۶ months after COVID-۱۹ emergence. We investigated the changes in medication adherence and asthma control due to COVID-۱۹ pandemic. Results: A total of ۱۱۳ asthmatic children in the age range of ۱ to ۱۵ (mean, ۷.۰۲±۳.۲۴ years) were included in the study. There were zero confirmed positive cases among them since COVID-۱۹ introduction. The minority of patients (۸.۸%) had weak adherence, most of the children (۳۵.۴%) completed one course of prescribed medications, ۳۳% had longer adherence, and only ۲۵ patients (۲۲.۱%) had full adherence during the pandemic. Overall, our patients experienced better asthma control with a ۱.۵۱ rise in ACT score to arrive in ۲۳.۶۴ points out of ۲۵. They had no asthma exacerbation and emergency visit. Over half of the families compiled the national preventive measures; as ۸۵% of children had followed the stay-at-home order during the first peak of the pandemic. Conclusion: Our patients managed to come to a higher asthma control level despite their generally decreased adherence to medications during the pandemic. COVID-۱۹ not only could not worsen asthma status in our children but surprisingly improved it. This shows that the preventive measures should be strongly applied for the asthmatic population.

کلیدواژه ها:

pediatric asthma ، ، ، ، ، COVID-۱۹ ، ، ، ، ، asthma control ، ، ، ، ، medication adherence