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Published on: November 4, 2010
[The Childhood Asthma Control Test improves the therapeutic adaptations recommended for asthmatics aged 6 to 11 years
Guillaume Perron1, Marc Garcia1, François Carbonnel1
1Université de Montpellier, departement de medecine generale, Montpellier, France.
Insights
The Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) aids primary care physicians in better assessing and adapting pediatric asthma therapy. Using C-ACT improved treatment adjustments, leading to better asthma control in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Primary Care Medicine
- Clinical Assessment Tools
Background:
- Childhood asthma is a prevalent chronic condition with often inadequate management.
- Effective asthma control in children is crucial for long-term health outcomes.
- Current primary care approaches may not consistently optimize asthma therapy adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) on adapting pediatric asthma treatment in primary care settings.
- To compare physician therapy adaptation practices with and without the C-ACT tool.
- To assess the accuracy of asthma control evaluations in primary care.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative prospective study comparing two groups of general practitioners.
- One group received detailed training on the C-ACT, while the control group followed usual practice.
- Inclusion of asthmatic children aged 6-11 years, with primary endpoint being GINA guideline-based treatment adaptation.
Main Results:
- Physicians using C-ACT identified higher rates of uncontrolled asthma (45% vs. 31%).
- The C-ACT group demonstrated fewer non-recommended therapeutic adaptations (8% vs. 16%).
- Physician assessments in the control group showed significant discordance with online C-ACT results (25%).
Conclusions:
- Implementing the C-ACT in primary care can enhance the assessment of pediatric asthma control.
- The C-ACT facilitates more appropriate and guideline-adherent adaptation of asthma treatment in children.
- Improved assessment via C-ACT leads to better-guided therapeutic adjustments for pediatric asthma.
Objectives:
Asthma is the leading chronic disease of the child; control and treatment remain inadequate. Our objective was to assess whether the use of the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C -ACT) in primary care had an impact on adapting therapy.
Methods:
The study was quantitative prospective and compared 2 groups of general practioners. All had the same reminders about childhood asthma management. The C-ACT was detailed to one group only. Doctors in the control group had to work as usual without C-ACT. Doctors included asthmatic children aged 6 to 11 years who were consulting for their asthma or any other reason. The primary endpoint was the adaptation of asthma treatment according to the Global Initative for Asthma (GINA). Evaluations of the control group were compared with the after consultation self-administered online C-ACT.
Results:
From April to October 2014, 61 physicians included 179 patients in two comparable groups. Although not significant statistically, doctors using C-ACT found 45% of uncontrolled asthma (vs. 31%). When the reason for consultation was not related to asthma, the figure was 25% (vs. 15%). Doctors using the C-ACT made twice less therapeutic adaptations not recommended by the GINA: 8% vs. 16%. 25% of evaluations of doctors in the control group were discordant with the internet C-ACT. After correction with the internet C-ACT of these imprecise initial assessments, the figure was 25%: 3 times more than in the C-ACT group (P=0.014).
Conclusion:
The use in primary care of C-ACT should allow a better assessment of asthma control and adaptation of treatment in children.
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