Research by a University of Ottawa professor reveals that asthma may be over-diagnosed by up to 30 per cent
Ottawa, November 19, 2008— A new study by Dr. Shawn Aaron, Head of Respiratory Medicine at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa suggests that asthma may be over-diagnosed by up to 30 per cent in Canadian adults. The study examined 496 people from eight Canadian cities who reported receiving a diagnosis of asthma from a physician. When the individuals were retested for asthma using the accepted clinical guidelines, it was found that 30 per cent had no evidence of asthma. Two thirds of these individuals were able to safely stop taking asthma medications. The results are published in the November 18, 2008 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
“Our study suggests that there may be a substantial over-diagnosis of asthma in Canadian adults,” said Dr. Shawn Aaron “This is a serious issue because asthma medications are expensive and they can have side effects. Also, an inappropriate diagnosis of asthma may obscure the true cause of a patient’s symptoms.”
This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
For more information see the OHRI press release:
http://www.ohri.ca/newsroom/newsstory.asp?ID=157