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Assessment of control of bronchial asthma in children using Childhood Asthma Control Test
Insights
The Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) effectively assesses asthma control in children, correlating well with lung function (FEV1). It can predict asthma control levels for up to three months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Asthma Management
- Clinical Assessment Tools
Background:
- The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines recommend the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) for monitoring asthma control.
- Accurate assessment of asthma control in children is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the C-ACT for assessing asthma control in children.
- To determine the correlation between C-ACT scores and lung function (FEV1).
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study involving children aged 5-14 years with bronchial asthma.
- Asthma severity and control were classified using NAEPP and GINA guidelines.
- C-ACT and spirometry (FEV1) measurements were taken at enrollment and at three and six months follow-up.
Main Results:
- Significant positive correlations were observed between C-ACT scores and FEV1 at all time points (enrollment, 3 months, 6 months).
- A baseline C-ACT score predicted asthma control levels up to three months.
- A C-ACT cut-off of ≥19 demonstrated high sensitivity (98.5%) and specificity (89.1%) for asthma control.
Conclusions:
- The C-ACT is a simple and feasible tool for assessing asthma control in children.
- The C-ACT can predict asthma control levels in children for up to three months.
Background:
The use of Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) has been advised for monitoring asthma control by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines.
Objective:
To validate the tool C-ACT for the assessment of control of asthma and to examine the correlation between C-ACT score and lung function assessed by forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1).
Methods:
This was a prospective observational study conducted between January 2010 to January 2011. Children diagnosed to have bronchial asthma and aged 5 to 14 years, were enrolled in the study. Asthma severity and control status were classified according to the National Asthma Education and Prevention Programme (NAEPP) and GINA guidelines, respectively. Patients were followed-up at three and six months and C-ACT and spirometric measurements were obtained.
Results:
Significant positive correlations were found between C-ACT score and FEV1 at enrollment (r = 0.772) (p < 0.001), three months (r = 0.815) (p < 0.001) and at six months follow-up (r = 0.908) (p < 0.001). Baseline C-ACT score was useful for predicting the levels of control of asthma upto three months (0.004), but not at six months follow-up (0.787). A cut-off C-ACT value of > or = 19 had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under the curve (AUC) 98.5%, 89.1%, 94.9%, 96.6%, 0.717, respectively for the control of asthma.
Conclusion:
C-ACT is a simple and feasible tool to assess and predict the levels of control in children with bronchial asthma upto three months.
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