[A consideration for indexes of global improvement rating by physicians in bronchial asthma]

As the minimum items required for GIR evaluation, morning Peak Respiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), evening PEFR, asthma scores and symptom scores were selected based on Cronbach's alpha, an index of internal consistency. Optimum categorization of total improvement scores (TS), or principal component scores (PCS) was conducted based on agreement with the physician's evaluation of GIR. Good agreement was observed between optimally categorized moderate and marked improvement rate in TS or PCS and moderate and marked improvement rate in the physician's evaluation of GIR. The rate of agreement between optimally categorized TS or PCS and distribution of GIR was about 93% if allowance is made for discrepancy of one stage. Our assessment that TS which is objective and practical was useful as criteria for evaluating GIR.