The Asthma Control Test and its Relationship with Lung Function Parameters

ABSTRACT

The Asthma Control Test (ACT) is a validated, simple,and inexpensive instrument to assess control among patients with bronchial asthma. However, its relationship with lung function parameters is yet to be demonstrated among Nigerian asthma patients. Our study aimed at assessing asthma control using ACT scores and determining its relationship with lung function parameters among persons with asthma in a university respiratory clinic.The cross-sectional study included 65 patients with bronchial asthma who underwent routine check-ups in respiratory clinics at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Nigeria between October 2009 and January 2011. The ACT was administered to assess for asthma control. Lung function testing was done using the guidelines of the American Thoracic Society (ATS).The mean pre-bronchodilator FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) was 1.97±0.87L and mean ACT score was 18.2+4.28; 24 (37%) of the study subjects had well-controlled asthma. The ACT scores were weakly correlated with percentage of predicted,FEV1(r=0.220, p=<0.078) and PEF (peak expiratoryflow), (r=0.168,p=0.18).In this study, most of the patients had poor asthma control and lung function parameters correlated poorly with ACT scores. It is important that the ACT complements other physiological measures of assessing asthma control in our environment