OBJETIVO: Estimar a proporção de pacientes asmáticos com percepção inadequada do controle dos sintomas e avaliar as características deste subgrupo. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal no qual foram selecionados pacientes ambulatoriais consecutivos com asma leve, moderada ou grave, maiores de 12 anos. Os pacientes foram submetidos a exame clínico, avaliação de depressão e da percepção do controle da asma e exame de função pulmonar. Foram realizadas avaliação da concordância quanto ao controle dos sintomas de asma entre médicos e pacientes e comparação entre as características dos pacientes com percepção adequada e inadequada do controle da asma. RESULTADOS: A concordância entre médicos e pacientes quanto ao controle da asma foi baixa (índice kappa = 0,5). Dos 289 pacientes incluídos, 66 (23%) apresentaram percepção inadequada do controle da asma. A análise preliminar univariada revelou que os pacientes com percepção inadequada eram mais idosos, tinham menor renda familiar e apresentavam asma de menor gravidade. A análise multivariada não modificou os resultados. Não houve diferença entre os grupos quanto a sexo, freqüência de pacientes alfabetizados, tempo de sintomas de asma, diagnóstico de rinite, freqüência de depressão, função pulmonar ou adesão ao tratamento. CONCLUSÕES: A freqüência de percepção inadequada do controle da doença em pacientes com asma é elevada, principalmente em pacientes idosos, com baixa renda familiar e asma de menor gravidade.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of asthma patients with poor perception of asthma control and to evaluate the characteristics of this subgroup. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in which consecutive outpatients (over the age of 12) with mild, moderate, or severe asthma were selected. The patients underwent clinical examination and pulmonary function tests, as well as being assessed for depression and perception of asthma control. The degree of concordance between patients and physicians regarding the perception of asthma control was determined. Patients with good perception of asthma control were compared, in terms of characteristics, with those presenting poor perception. RESULTS: The degree of concordance between patients and physicians regarding the perception of asthma control was low (kappa index = 0.5). Of the 289 patients included, 66 (23%) presented poor perception of asthma control. The preliminary univariate analysis revealed that the patients with poor perception of asthma control were older, had a lower income, and presented a lower degree of asthma severity. Those factors did not change in the multivariate analysis. There were no differences between the groups in terms of gender, frequency of having literate patients, duration of asthma symptoms, having been diagnosed with rhinitis, frequency of depression, pulmonary function, or treatment compliance. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of poor perception of asthma control in asthma patients is high, especially in elderly patients with lower income and a lower degree of asthma severity.