Predictive Value of the TRACK Questionnaire as a Measure of Asthma Control in Preschool Aged Children

Assessment of asthma control in preschool children is important for therapeutic decisions. Aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of TRACK questionnaire scores for subsequent clinical parameters and to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the TRACK questionnaire. We enrolled 100 children with asthma aged 4 years or younger in this cohort study. We recorded sociodemographic characteristics and clinical severity parameters. A pediatric allergist filled in the asthma severity scale and the caregiver of the child filled in the TRACK questionnaire. We called in the children again at the end of one month and recorded the same parameters and administered TRACK again. Uncontrolled asthma was defined as a TRACK score below 80. According to the TRACK score, 65% of the children had controlled asthma initially while at the end of the study 64.1% had controlled asthma. At the beginning of the study, all clinical parameters were worse in children with uncontrolled asthma according to TRACK score. Similarly, other objective clinical parameters during the following one month period were worse in children with initial uncontrolled asthma. Cronbach's alpha score for the TRACK questionnaire was 0.84. Turkish TRACK questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool that is predictive of short term asthma prognosis.

Predictive Value of the TRACK Questionnaire as a Measure of Asthma Control in Preschool Aged Children

Assessment of asthma control in preschool children is important for therapeutic decisions. Aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of TRACK questionnaire scores for subsequent clinical parameters and to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the TRACK questionnaire. We enrolled 100 children with asthma aged 4 years or younger in this cohort study. We recorded sociodemographic characteristics and clinical severity parameters. A pediatric allergist filled in the asthma severity scale and the caregiver of the child filled in the TRACK questionnaire. We called in the children again at the end of one month and recorded the same parameters and administered TRACK again. Uncontrolled asthma was defined as a TRACK score below 80. According to the TRACK score, 65% of the children had controlled asthma initially while at the end of the study 64.1% had controlled asthma. At the beginning of the study, all clinical parameters were worse in children with uncontrolled asthma according to TRACK score. Similarly, other objective clinical parameters during the following one month period were worse in children with initial uncontrolled asthma. Cronbach's alpha score for the TRACK questionnaire was 0.84. Turkish TRACK questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool that is predictive of short term asthma prognosis.

Role of Adipokines and Hormones of Obesity in Childhood Asthma

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of leptin, ghrelin, and adiponectin in obese and non-obese children with asthma and in healthy non-asthmatic children, and analyze their relationships with clinical outcomes. METHODS: This study enrolled 40 obese and 51 non-obese children with asthma and 20 healthy children. Body mass index and serum leptin, ghrelin, and adiponectin levels were determined in all children. Asthma symptom scores and lung function test results were recorded for subjects with asthma. RESULTS: Serum leptin levels (11.8+/-7.9, 5.3+/-6.8, and 2.1+/-2.4 ng/mL in the obese asthmatic, non-obese asthmatic, and control groups, respectively) and adiponectin levels (12,586.2+/-3,724.1; 18,089.3+/-6,452.3; and 20,297.5+/-3,680.7 ng/mL, respectively) differed significantly among the groups (P<0.001 for all). Mean ghrelin levels were 196.1+/-96.8 and 311.9+/-352.8 pg/mL in the obese and non-obese asthmatic groups, respectively, and 348.8+/-146.4 pg/mL in the control group (P=0.001). The asthma symptom score was significantly higher in the obese children with asthma than in the non-obese children with asthma (P<0.001). Leptin and adiponectin levels were correlated with the asthma symptom score in non-obese children with asthma (r=0.34 and r=-0.62, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity leads to more severe asthma symptoms in children. Moreover, leptin, adiponectin, and ghrelin may play important roles in the inflammatory pathogenesis of asthma and obesity co-morbidity.