Childhood Asthma Control Test and spirometry values in school-age children.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Asthma control assessment in children is crucial for effective management.
• Child and parent reports, like the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT), offer subjective insights.
• Objective measures such as spirometry are vital for a comprehensive evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the correlation between child/parent-reported asthma control via C-ACT and objective spirometry findings.
• To determine the diagnostic accuracy of C-ACT scores in identifying poorly controlled asthma in children.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study involving 648 children (ages 5-11) in a school-based asthma program.
• Asthma control was assessed using the C-ACT and spirometry (FEV1 and FEV1/FVC).
• Sensitivity, specificity, and Area Under the Curve (AUC) were calculated for C-ACT scores against spirometry-defined poor asthma control (FEV1 ≤ 80% predicted).

Main Results:

• Children with FEV1 ≤ 80% predicted had significantly lower C-ACT scores (p=.023).
• A C-ACT score of 19 or less showed 44.9% sensitivity and 66.4% specificity for low FEV1.
• A C-ACT score of 22 or less yielded 67.7% sensitivity and 30.9% specificity for low FEV1, with AUCs of 0.444 and 0.507 respectively.

Conclusions:

• The C-ACT serves as a valuable screening tool for asthma control in pediatric populations.
• Spirometry remains essential for accurate assessment of current asthma control, particularly in children with persistent symptoms.