RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Comparison of the asthma control test and % predicted FEV1 in relation to correlation with physicians assessment of asthma control and treatment decisions
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP p4029
VO 38
IS Suppl 55
A1 Uruj Hoda
A1 Bogusia Kasternow
A1 Succony Laura
A1 Corrigan Chris
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4029.abstract
AB Background: The Asthma Control Test (ACT) is a 5-item questionnaire for the assessment of asthma control. An ACT score of <20 correlates with poorly controlled asthma.This study compared whether ACT or FEV1 correlated better with physicians assessments of asthma control and treatment decisions made by clinicians.Method: Serial visits were reviewed to a specialist Asthma Outpatients Clinic. All subjects completed the Asthma Control Test and performed same day spirometry. Clinicians made their own assessment of the patients' asthma control and made appropriate treatment decisions. The clinicians were not blinded to the results of spirometry or ACT.Results:View this table:In the group defined as having controlled asthma (as defined by ACT <20), 88.4% of patients were also classified as controlled by clinicians. However, in the group with% predicted FEV1 < 0.8, only 53.7% of patients were classified as controlled by clinicians.Conclusion: The results of our study show that an ACT score of <20 had a strong association with the physicians assessment of asthma control and correlated better with treatment decisions than did the severity of asthma as defined by FEV1. The ACT could serve as a useful in the assessment and management of asthma by guiding physicians with regards to asthma control.