title: Longitudinal validation of the Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids in pediatric practices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The 5-item, caregiver-completed Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids (TRACK) was developed and validated primarily in asthma-specialist practices to monitor respiratory control in preschool-aged children. This longitudinal study in children treated by pediatricians evaluated the responsiveness of TRACK to changes in respiratory- and asthma-control status over time and further assessed TRACK's reliability and validity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caregivers of children younger than 5 years with symptoms consistent with asthma within the past year (N = 438) completed TRACK at 2 clinic visits separated by 4 to 6 weeks. Physicians were blinded to caregiver assessment, completed a guidelines-based respiratory-control survey at both visits, and were asked whether the visit resulted in a change in therapy. Responsiveness of TRACK to change in respiratory-control status over time was evaluated; reliability and discriminant validity were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean changes in TRACK scores from the initial to follow-up visits differed in the expected direction in subsets of children whose clinical status improved, remained unchanged, or worsened based on physicians' and caregivers' assessments (P < .001). Mean TRACK scores also differed significantly (P < .001) across patient subsets, with lower scores (indicating poorer control) in children classified as very poorly controlled, in those who required a step-up in therapy, and in those who had 4 or more episodes or attacks of wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath per week in the past 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study extends the validity and reliability of TRACK by demonstrating its responsiveness to change in respiratory-control status over time in preschool-aged children with symptoms consistent with asthma.
authors.affiliation: Capital Allergy and Respiratory Disease Center, 5609 J St, Suite C, Sacramento, CA 95819, USA. bchipps@capitalallergy.com
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chipps
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Zeiger
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mellon
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schatz
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosinski
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lampl
authors.forename: Sulabha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017028:Caregivers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012372:ROC Curve; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult