Active search for asthmatic patients and their characteristics through the analysis of visits to the Emergency Service

Introduction: Asthma is a chronic disease that affects a significant part of the population and whose prevalence and morbidity are increasing.We studied the situation of asthmatic pathology in our area, both in patients who are already diagnosed and under follow-up in specialised units (Pneumology, Allergology) or who are well controlled in Primary Care, but above all in those who are not known and therefore not treated. Methods: This study has been developed using and analysing the data obtained from the electronic register of visits to the Emergency Service (ES) of the hospital (january 2024 to january 2025) with the diagnosis of asthma. Results: 146 adult patients ( 56 males 38.3%), mean age of 51±18. Of them, 3 patients consulted on 4 occasions during the year, 3 on 3 occasions, 13 patients visited twice and 127 only once. The 19 patients (13% of the total) who visited more than once are being followed up in Pneumology, having moderate or severe asthma. Of total, 68 patients (46.6%) are being followed up in Pneumology, 20 of them (13.9%) have severe asthma, of which 6 (30%) are on biologic treatment. 14 (13.7%) are patients who were discharged from Pneumology before 2024. 6 patients (4.1%) were under follow-up by Allergology. 33 patients (22.6%) had a mild pathology or with little clinical impact (young people with viral processes). 17 patients are ‘unclassifiable’, as only the ES report is available, and we cannot know if they really have asthma. 4 (2.7%) died during the study year (plurypathological patients). In 8 (5.5%) we could not find any data compatible with asthma. [ Fig. 1 ] shows the distribution of all patients. Conclusions: Almost half of the ES visits were for patients currently under follow-up in Pneumology, although the vast majority of them only attended one time. Of these, the percentage of patients with severe asthma was low (13.9%), which could indicate that they are controlled. The 17 patients (11.6%) who are ‘unclassifiable’ are where the proactive search has its maximum purpose, as this is where the undiagnosed asthmatics may be. These are the potential patients who are late arriving at the asthma units and who could progress to severe asthma. These patients have been referred to Pneumology to find out if they are asthmatics. Fig. 1 Publication History Article published online: 04 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany