Importance of optimal asthma control for the improvement of patients' quality of life

The objective of asthma therapy is to achieve and maintain an optimal control of the disease. In accordance with international guidelines, the definition of control envisages the achievement of clinical and functional objectives which reflect the doctor's, rather than the patient's, point of view. The patient, on the other hand, is investigated by means of health related quality of life (HRQL) assessment, a scientific method aimed at quantifying the impact of the disease and its treatment on the patient's life, from the patient's own viewpoint. The different points of view, doctor-patient, have highlighted the fact that the achievement of a single therapeutic objective does not always correlate with an improvement in quality of life, while this happens when a composite index of asthma control is considered. The drugs that are currently available allow the achievement of an optimal control of the asthmatic pathology in a significant percentage of patients. A very interesting matter is how important the achievement of this therapeutic objective is to improving patients' quality of life. The existing scientific evidence suggests there is a strong correlation between the level of global control achieved and quality of life. The quality of life of the asthmatic patient who has achieved an optimal control is almost identical to that of healthy subjects. Therefore, both doctor and patient should have great expectations concerning asthma therapy aimed at achieving the best possible level of control and wellbeing.