Asthma Control Test and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire Association in Adults

Abstract

Asthma control and quality of life are expected to be correlated. We aimed to evaluate the association of asthma control test (ACT) with asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) and guideline based control assessment. We also aimed to investigate the impact of therapy adjustment according to ACT score on AQLQ A total of 101 asthmatic patients were included. ACT, AQLQ and Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) based control assessments were performed. Based on ACT, treatment was adjusted by stepping down in controlled and stepping up in uncontrolled/partly controlled patients. In some controlled/partly controlled patients, no therapy adjustment was done. After 3-months the same parameters were reevaluated.We found a statistically significant association between ACT and AQLQ, a one point increase in ACT was associated with a 0.129 point increase in AQLQ. ACT scores increased significantly in the step-up group; however AQLQ total scores were not affected after therapy adjustment. We found that ACT was concordant with GINA recommended control classification in the first (kappa=0.511, 7.718) and third months (kappa=0.599, 7.912) (P<0.001 for both).We determined an association between ACT and AQLQ. ACT was also found fairly concordant with GINA. However, treatment adjustment according to ACT was not found satisfactory in terms of quality of life.

Keywords

• Asthma
• Quality of life
• Questionnaires