title: Association of the Asthma Control Test with peak flow measures in a population in Puerto Rico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Asthma Control Test (ACT) questionnaire has been widely used and validated in various ethnic groups, showing an adequate correlation with physician assessment of asthma control. We sought to evaluate the relationship between ACT-defined asthma control and peak flow measures in subjects living in Puerto Rico.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective evaluation of data collected by a mobile asthma clinic in 2 cities in Puerto Rico was conducted. The participants completed an asthma and rhinitis survey. Self-reported asthmatics answered the age-appropriate Spanish version of the ACT. Peak flows (PEF) were measured. Subjects were skin-tested against the common local aeroallergens. The study was approved by the University of Puerto Rico's IRB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We evaluated data from 70 subjects aged 4 to 68. Of them, 82.85% were 12 years old or older, 64.3% reported having a history of asthma, 57.14% reported that they still suffered from asthma, 81.4% reported that they suffered from rhinitis, and 78.57% were sensitized to at least 1 antigen. The mean ACT score of current asthmatics was 18.97, while that of past asthmatics was 23.83 (p = 6.6e-6). The variability of PEF increased as the ACT score increased. Age had no impact on asthma control (p > 0.25), while the effect of PEF on the control of asthma was tied to gender. Rhinitis was also associated with poor asthma control as defined by the ACT score. No other covariate was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study supports the use of the ACT to evaluate asthma control in asthmatics living in Puerto Rico. Research into factors associated with poor asthma control, and the importance of rhinitis with regard to such control, is needed.
authors.forename: Iona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Malinow
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivera-Santiago
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Malpica
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zaragoza
authors.forename: Vylma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Velázquez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Acantilado
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: López-Almodóvar
authors.forename: Sylvette
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nazario
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult