GEMA 5.3. Spanish Guideline on the Management of Asthma.

The Spanish Guideline on the Management of Asthma, better known by its acronym in Spanish GEMA, has been available for more than 20 years. Twenty-one scientific societies or related groups both from Spain and internationally have participated in the preparation and development of the updated edition of GEMA, which in fact has been currently positioned as the reference guide on asthma in the Spanish language worldwide. Its objective is to prevent and improve the clinical situation of people with asthma by increasing the knowledge of healthcare professionals involved in their care.

Efficacy of Bromhexine versus Standard of Care in Reducing Viral Load in Patients with Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19 Disease Attended in Primary Care: A Randomized Open-Label Trial.

A 28-day randomized open-label multicenter study was conducted to assess the efficacy of bromhexine plus standard of care (SOC) (n = 98) vs. SOC alone (n = 93) in 191 outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in the primary health care setting. Bromhexine three daily doses of 10 mL (48 mg/day) were administered for seven days.

Current expert opinion and attitudes to optimize telemedicine and achieve control in patients with asthma in post-pandemic era: The COMETA consensus.

Objective: To collect perspectives and explore consensus for expert recommendations related to asthma control and the use of telemedicine among professionals who manage patients with asthma.

Design: A Delphi-like questionnaire was designed to analyse the level of agreement about several recommendations formulated by an expert scientific committee about asthma control and the use of telemedicine with this purpose. A dedicated scientific committee validated the questionnaire, which included questions about the participants' profile and the use of technological tools at a personal level or in clinical practice.

A Survey of Physicians' Perception of the Use and Effectiveness of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures in Chronic Cough Patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to understand the perception of family physicians, pulmonologists, and allergists with respect to diagnostic tests performed on patients with chronic cough and treatments prescribed to patients with refractory or unexplained chronic cough. We also assessed how these health professionals perceived the effectiveness of these treatments.

Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed by the scientific societies SEPAR, SEAIC, SEMERGEN, semFYC, and SEMG.

[Referral Criteria for Asthma: An Updated Consensus].

Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in Spain. In 2019, the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC), the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN), the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC), the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG) and the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) drafted a document laying down the criteria for referral and action guidelines in the diagnosis, control and monitoring of the asthmatic patient to facilitate ongoing care and improved attention in every setting. The new circumstances derived from the Covid-19 pandemic have demanded that some of the recommendations of the previous edition be updated and adapted to the new healthcare situation.

[Multidisciplinary Consensus for the Monitoring and Control of Asthma Through Telemedicine. The COMETA Project].

Despite the therapeutic advances currently available, asthma control is poor. Such control is based on assessing the patient, adjusting treatment, and reviewing the response to treatment. In normal situations, asthma is monitored and controlled by sequential face-to-face visits.

[Healthcare resources for asthma management at primary care level: Asthmabarometer Project].

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the current provision of basic resources for asthma management in Primary Health Care (PHC).

Design: Cross-sectional study, with an ad hoc quantitative survey.

Location And Participants: A total of 380 primary healthcare physicians in Spain.

Determinants of the Appearance and Progression of Early-Onset Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Young Adults. A Case-Control Study with Follow-up.

Introduction And Objectives: Determinants of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the early stages of its natural history are not well known. Improving our knowledge of these factors will help to design interventions that can modify prognosis. Study objectives are: a) to characterize a COPD population of young adults aged 35-50 years from a multidimensional point of view; b) to compare these patients with smokers with normal lung function; and c) to create a cohort of young adults aged 35-50 years (smokers or former smokers), with and without COPD, who will be followed in the future to improve understanding of the natural history of the disease.

How can we define well-controlled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

The main objectives in the management of chronic disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are: to suppress or minimize symptoms; to prevent and reduce exacerbations; to avoid limitations in activities of daily living, and thus to enable the patient to lead a normal, or nearly normal, life. COPD has become a serious public-health concern. The disease, which may be life-threatening if not properly managed, often goes undiagnosed.

[External assessment of the GEMA2009 recommendations by a multidisciplinary expert panel on asthma].

Objectives: To assess the level of agreement on the GEMA 2009 clinical recommendations by a Spanish expert panel on asthma.

Materials And Methods: The study was divided into four stages: 1) establishment of a 9 member scientific committee (GEMA authors) for selection of GEMA recommendations to use in the survey; 2) formation of a panel of 74 professionals with expertise in this field (pulmonologists, allergists, family doctors, ear, nose and throat and paediatric specialists); 3) Delphi survey in two rounds, sent by mail, with intermediate processing of opinions and a report to the panel members; and 4) analysis and discussion of results for the Scientific Committee.

Results: Seventy four participants completed the two rounds of survey.

[Cardiovascular risk factors in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: results of the ARCE study].

Objective: Cardiovascular disease is a common cause of death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is not clear whether the high cardiovascular comorbidity is due to an increase in traditional risk factors or whether, in contrast, COPD can be considered an independent risk factor. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of risk factors and cardiovascular comorbidity in a community-based population treated for COPD.