[Palliative care for patients with chronic respiratory failure].

The increasing prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases and the longer survival of patients with these disorders have lead to a rise in the number of individuals in a terminal condition with no chances of responding to additional medication. Nevertheless, this epidemiological fact has not been accompanied by a parallel development of palliative care programmes, and this prevents the patients from receiving optimal medical care to ensure their well-being and to avoid further unnecessary admissions to hospital. Our local experience in the Lucus Augusti University Hospital reveals that 7% of the admissions to the respiratory ward correspond to patients with advanced and non-neoplastic chronic respiratory disorders.

[Relationship between comorbidity and asthma control].

Introduction: The coexistence of potentially aggravating processes is common in asthmatics, particularly in patients with difficult control. The primary aim of this study is to ascertain whether comorbidity id more common in uncontrolled patients. As a secondary aim, we propose to evaluate the correlation between the asthma control test (ACT) and the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO).