[Analysis of the clinical indications of asthma control test].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical indications of asthma control test (ACT).


METHODS
A total of 120 asthmatic patients with a diagnosis in line with the American Thoracic Society criteria and treated for over a month were enrolled in this study. The patients were asked to complete a survey to assess their symptoms and asthma attacks, and ACT evaluation was conducted by physicians familiar with ACT evaluation. The patients were classified into two groups based on the pulmonary function test (positive for bronchodilator test and provocation test) or based on disease severity (mild and moderate-to-severe asthma groups). The effect of ACT evaluation was graded as good (no less than 4 item available for evaluation), fair (2-3 items available) and poor (no more than 1 item). To further analyze the ACT sensitivity in relation to different disease severity, 29 asthmatic patients with an initial diagnosis and BDT positivity were included, and the ACT score of the patients with mild, moderate and severe asthma based on FEV1% were compared.


RESULTS
In patients positive for bronchodilator test, good, fair and poor evaluation effects were found in 48, 15, and 5 cases, as compared to 10, 15, and 27 in those positive for provocation test, respectively, showing significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.001). In mild asthma group, good, fair and poor evaluation effects were found in 12, 15, and 18 cases, respectively, significantly different from those in moderate-to- severe asthma group (50, 21, and 4 cases, P < 0.001). ACT scores showed a positive correlation to FEV1% in 29 patients with positive BDT (r = 0.55, P = 0.003). ACT scores had no significant difference between mild and moderate asthma groups (P > 0.05), but showed significant differences between mild and severe groups (P = 0.009) and between moderate and severe groups (P = 0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
ACT is more suitable for evaluating patients positive for bronchodilator test or with moderate to severe asthma.
Zhao
Hai-jin
HJ
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. zhjin@fimmu.com
Lv
Yan-hua
YH
Liu
Lai-yu
LY
Cai
Shao-xi
SX
Shao
Jin-lian
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult