Retrospective Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Asthmatreatment Strategies and Outcomes at Yekatit 12 Hospital (2022).

Background: Asthma is a worldwide problem; about 300 million people are estimated to have the condition. It is still one of the significant health problems worldwide, particularly increasing in developing countries. Although new drugs and evidence-based guidelines have been developed in recent years, there is still a challenge in reducing asthma morbidity and mortality, and Asthma continues to be under-treated. Objective: To evaluate the treatment strategies and clinical outcomes among asthmatic patients at Yekatit 12 Hospital in 2022. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the medical records of asthmatic patients who attended Yekatite 12 Hospital Medical College in 2022. The study covered the past two years (January 1, 2020 – January 1, 2022 G.C.). Systematic random sampling was employed to select the study subjects. A total of 210 patient records were reviewed. Result: Of the 210 asthmatic patients studied, 118 (56.2%) had poorly controlled asthma, while the remaining 92 (43.8%) had well-controlled asthma. Among anti-asthmatic drugs, the most prescribed medication was short-acting Beta2-agonists, accounting for 63.80% of the total prescribed anti-asthma drugs—salbutamol puff (34.09%) and oral salbutamol (27.91%). Inhaled corticosteroids accounted for only 15.58%. The most effective anti-asthmatic drug combination was a short-acting Beta2-agonist plus Prednisolone, which was prescribed to 39.57% of asthmatic patients. Overall, 56.2% of asthma patients had poorly controlled asthma, while the rest had well-controlled asthma. There is a statistically significant association between social drug use and treatment outcomes (p-value = 0.031). According to GINA guidelines, the recommended treatment option for children older than six, adolescents, and adults is a combination of a low-dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) with an inhaled long-acting Beta2-agonist (LABA), either as a combination inhaler or as separate components.