Assessment of the clinical profile of pediatric asthma patients in a specialized outpatient clinic

Abstract

Asthma is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease in childhood, associated with high morbidity and impact on quality of life. The clinical variability of symptoms can make diagnosis difficult, making a detailed analysis of the clinical profile essential for proper management. The clinical and epidemiological profile of children diagnosed with asthma who were followed in an immunoallergology outpatient clinic of a university hospital was obtained. This was an observational, retrospective, and descriptive study, conducted through the analysis of 30 medical records of pediatric patients diagnosed with asthma. Demographic variables, initial symptoms, allergic comorbidities, family history, hospitalizations, laboratory tests (total and specific IgE, immediate reading skin test), spirometry, and instituted treatment were evaluated. The data was organized in spreadsheets and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The average age of the patients was 7.6 years, with a predominance of illnesses. The most frequent symptoms were recurrent dry cough, wheezing, and exertional dyspnea, with functional impact such as school absenteeism. A family history of allergic diseases was present in 76.6% of cases. A high prevalence of allergic comorbidities was observed, suggesting atopic march. Patients with positive allergy tests showed greater clinical severity and a higher number of hospitalizations. Spirometry revealed mild to moderate obstructive ventilatory disorder in part of the sample. Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids showed good clinical response and satisfactory adherence. The findings demonstrate the predominance of asthma with an allergic component, highlighting the importance of specialized follow-up, environmental control, and appropriate treatment for disease management and quality of life improvement.