To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: CHEST 1998: Men Less Likely To Report Severe Asthma Symptoms Than Women URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/C0922.htm Doctor's Guide November 11, 1998
TORONTO, ON -- Nov. 11, 1998 -- Men are far less likely than women to report severe asthma symptoms, according to a U.S.-Canadian study involving almost 1,300 patients that was reported today at CHEST 1998 -- the annual scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) being held in Toronto. The study was conducted at 36 emergency departments as part of the Multicenter Asthma Research Collaboration. Only patients diagnosed with acute asthma were enrolled in the research project. The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 54 with the average age being 35. Sixty-six percent were women. Airway obstruction was measured by peak expiratory flow rate, then categorised as mild, moderate or severe. Patients were asked to rate asthma symptoms (including frequency, distress and activity limitation) during the previous 24 hours. Although men had more severe airway obstruction than women (53 percent versus 41 percent), the males in the group reported less frequent and distressful symptoms and less severe activity limitation. If the men had moderate airway obstruction, they were fare less likely than women to report severe asthma symptoms (52 percent versus 74 percent), severe distress (34 percent versus 51 percent) and activity limitation (26 percent versus46). Investigators said the findings may partially explain gender differences in health care utilisation, for example, women are much more apt to seek out medical care, because patients with moderate airways obstruction--where the differences were the greatest--require more physician discretion in deciding asthma care. However, the investigators said it is not clear if the gender differences are based on physiological, psychological, or other factors. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.