title: The validation of the Turkish version of Asthma Control Test.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current guidelines focus more on levels of asthma control than on severity of asthma. The original version of the Asthma Control Test (ACT), a self-administered instrument to determine asthma control levels, was designed for English-speaking patients. More recently, the ACT has been translated into many languages and has been validated for many cultures, but this is the first study to evaluate the Turkish version.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Turkish version of the ACT among outpatients with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicenter prospective study included 220 asthma patients in outpatient clinics in Turkey. The ACT was completed at admission (Visit 1), after 10 ± 2 days (Visit 2), and at 5 ± 1 weeks (Visit 3). At each visit, physicians assessed patients' asthma control levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Turkish version of the ACT showed an internal consistency reliability of 0.84 (Cronbach's alpha). Test-retest reliability was 0.85 in stable patients. There was a significant correlation between the ACT and physicians' assessments at admission (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). The AUC was 0.91, with a sensitivity of 89.06% and a specificity of 78.26% for a score of ≤19 for screening "uncontrolled" asthma. A minimally important difference of three points on the ACT was consistent with the GINA physician assessment scores between the baseline and the follow-up visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Turkish version of the ACT is a valid and reliable tool for assessing asthma control in patients in outpatient settings. The test may facilitate the designation of asthma patients' symptoms as either controlled or uncontrolled.
authors.affiliation: Yedikule Hospital for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. dratilla@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mehmet Atilla
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Dilsad
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mungan
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yorgancioglu
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akgun
authors.forename: Bilun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gemicioglu
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Turktas
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014175:Translating; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones