Prospective Analysis Comparing the Asthma Control Test (ACT) to the New Subjective Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ-1) for...

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Clinical Assessment
• Asthma Management

Background:

• Asthma impacts millions globally, necessitating individualized treatment strategies based on symptoms and exacerbation risk, as recommended by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA).
• The Asthma Control Test (ACT) is the current standard for evaluating asthma control.
• Assessing asthma control effectively is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the correlation between the Subjective Asthma Questionnaire-1 (SAQ-1) and the established Asthma Control Test (ACT).
• To investigate associations between demographic and clinical variables and both asthma control scoring systems.
• To evaluate the SAQ-1's validity as an alternative tool for asthma control assessment.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study involving 115 adult patients with persistent asthma (mild, moderate, and severe).
• Collection of ACT scores, SAQ-1 scores, and demographic and clinical characteristics during pulmonary outpatient clinic visits.
• Statistical analysis to assess correlations between SAQ-1 and ACT, and associations with patient variables.

Main Results:

• Significant correlations were observed between ACT and SAQ-1 scores.
• Asthma severity demonstrated a negative association with both ACT and SAQ-1 scores.
• The SAQ-1 exhibited excellent sensitivity and specificity in identifying not well-controlled asthma.

Conclusions:

• The Subjective Asthma Questionnaire-1 (SAQ-1) is a valid and straightforward alternative to the ACT for assessing asthma control.
• The SAQ-1 has the potential to enhance patient compliance and facilitate more frequent asthma assessments.
• This validates SAQ-1 as a valuable tool in routine asthma care.