title: Symptom perception and asthma control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asthma control is the goal of asthma management. The perception of asthma symptoms represents a cornerstone aspect in this issue. The visual analogue scale (VAS) has been proposed as a useful tool for assessing respiratory symptoms perception. The present cross-sectional real-life study investigated whether VAS assessment of asthma symptoms perception could predict asthma control level.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included a total of 370 (153 males, mean age 39.9 years) patients with asthma. Perception of asthma symptoms was assessed by VAS; clinical examination, lung function, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement, Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale questionnaires were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Asthma was well controlled in 47% of patients. Considering most of the evaluated parameters, there were significant differences among patients with well-controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled asthma. VAS values were significantly (p < 0.001) different considering the asthma control level. VAS score were significantly related with ACT scores (p < 0.001). A VAS <6 was able to reliably predict uncontrolled asthma (area under the curve: 0.74; odds ratio: 5.16).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present real-life study demonstrates that asthma symptoms assessment by VAS might be useful for approximately predicting uncontrolled asthma in particular conditions, such as at home or at the general practitioner's office.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Department of Medicine, IRCCS - Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino , Viale Benedetto XV 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciprandi
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schiavetti
authors.forename: Fabio L M
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Ricciardolo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019468:Disease Management; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062072:Patient Acuity; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011603:Psychophysiology; D012372:ROC Curve; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
keywords: Asthma; asthma control; lung function; respiratory symptoms; visual analogue scale