A hospital out-patient study of bronchal asthma in Zambia

Abstract

The clinical features of 94 Zambian patients with moderate or severe bronchial asthma were studied and were found to be similar in most respects to those in other tropical countries. The patient's symptoms were generally worse in the rainy season, particularly in those with cutaneous hypersensitivity to one or more allergens. However, routine skin testing did not contribute to management, except in a few individuals. In the absence of freely available aerosol therapy, the patient's asthma was reasonably well controlled with oral preparations of choline theophyllinate and ephedrine, and short courses of high dose prednisolone for exacerbations. Regular scheduled follow-up pf asthmatics on an out-patient basis appears to be worthwhile an approach to management in tropical developing country as it is in the more developed parts of the world.