The relationship between asthma control and health-related quality of life in asthma and the role of atopy: a cross-sectional study of Nigerian adult asthmatics

INTRODUCTION: the relationship between asthma control and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult asthmatics is fairly established, but the unique contribution of atopy to this relationship has received less attention. The aim of this study was to quantify the contribution of atopy to this relationship. METHODS: in a cross-sectional study, we assessed HRQoL using mini-Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). Asthma control, atopy and lung function were assessed using the Asthma Control Test (ACT), skin prick test and spirometry respectively. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the association between of HRQol and asthma control, atopy and other clinical and demographical factors. RESULTS: eighty-two adult asthmatics (59 females), with median age of 44 years and median duration of asthma of 15 years were recruited from a tertiary hospital. Fifty-two (63%) were classified as atopic based on sensitization to at least one aeroallergen. The atopic individuals were younger and had better quality of life in activity domain; however, there was no significant difference between the atopic and non-atopic asthmatics in ACT score (19.0 vs 18.0) p=0.91, total AQLQ score (4.9 vs 4.6) p=0.22. The ACT scores correlated positively with total AQLQ scores [rho= 0.53, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.35, 0.67; p< 0.001]. However, atopy contributed significantly to the emotional domain of HRQoL score, p=0.028. CONCLUSION: we concluded that better asthma control is associated with better quality of life and atopy contributed uniquely to emotional domain in health-related quality of life.