Asthma Case Finding Flags Undiagnosed Disease in 1 in 8

HOSPITAL asthma case finding identified probable undiagnosed disease in 12.5% of volunteers during a one-day campaign.

The World Asthma Day initiative also exposed substantial care gaps among participants with established asthma. More than 4 in 10 reported no active medical follow-up, while nearly half were not receiving maintenance therapy.

Asthma Case Finding Combines Symptoms and Testing

The hospital-based campaign was conducted on World Asthma Day 2024 to increase awareness, gather epidemiologic information, and identify people with possible undiagnosed asthma. An information desk staffed by pulmonology, allergy, and nursing professionals was installed in a hospital lobby, where volunteers were invited to participate.

Investigators evaluated 112 volunteers with a mean age of 57 years. Women represented 75% of the sample. Known asthma was reported by 45 participants, or 40%, while 46 participants had rhinitis and 51 had other comorbidities.

All participants underwent spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide testing. A brief structured questionnaire assessed recurrent wheezing, persistent or recurrent cough, exertional shortness of breath, nocturnal symptoms, and chest tightness. Asthma control among participants with an existing diagnosis was assessed using the Asthma Control Test.

Probable Undiagnosed Asthma Found in 12.5%

Fourteen participants met the study criteria for probable undiagnosed asthma, defined as compatible respiratory symptoms combined with fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels of at least 25 ppb. This represented 12.5%, or 1 in 8, of all volunteers evaluated.

The findings also highlighted potential weaknesses in ongoing asthma management. Among the 45 participants with known asthma, 42.2% were not receiving active follow-up and 46.7% were not using maintenance therapy.

Beyond in-person asthma case finding, the campaign reached approximately 12,500 social media users and achieved an engagement rate of 18.4%. The investigators concluded that a hospital-based awareness campaign could support both identification of potential new asthma cases and broader public education.

For clinicians, the results demonstrate how a brief symptom assessment paired with objective respiratory testing may identify people who require further diagnostic evaluation. However, the volunteer-based campaign was limited to 112 participants, and its probable asthma classification did not constitute a confirmed clinical diagnosis.

Reference
Chiner E et al. World Asthma Day: results of a hospital-based awareness and case-finding campaign. J Asthma. 2026. doi:10.1080/02770903.2026.2721166.

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