Effects of an Asthma Education Camp Program on Quality of Life and Asthma Control among Thai Children with Asthma: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Caregiver knowledge and management ability can improve asthma control and quality of life (QoL) among children with asthma. A quasi-experimental study was proposed to assess the effect of a 1 day educational camp program on the QoL of children with asthma and on their caregivers' asthma knowledge and management. Children with asthma and their caregivers were invited to attend a camp. The Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ), Childhood Asthma Control Test score, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s were assessed in children at the first, 3 month, 6 month, and 1 year visits. The caregiver's knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) survey was assessed at each visit. A total of 212 patients were enrolled (mean age: 8.56 ± 1.63 years) but only 72 patients attended the camp. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics, asthma severity, or asthma risk factors between camp attendees and non-attendees. The KAP of caregivers who attended the camp was significantly higher than non-attendees at the 3 month and 6 month visits (16.86 ± 2.3 vs. 15.95 ± 2.78 (p = 0.009); 17.25 ± 2.22 vs. 16.7 ± 2.68 (p = 0.04)). QoL did not significantly differ between patient attendees vs. non-attendees. PAQLQ mean score correlated with asthma control, indicating that patients with well-controlled asthma had better QoL than those with unstable asthma control (p < 0.001). An asthma education camp can help increase self-management knowledge, even though its effect may be short-term. Integrating asthma education into routine care could enhance asthma management in children.

Accuracy of childhood asthma control test among Thai childhood asthma patients.

BACKGROUND: The Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) was developed to assess asthma control in children worldwide. A self-administered questionnaire for children translated into Thai language was used. OBJECTIVE: To validate the C-ACT cut-points for evaluating the level of asthma control among Thai children, using the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guideline as a gold standard. METHODS: C-ACT score, FEV1 and assessment of level of asthma control were recorded at baseline, 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year visits among children with asthma. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used to determine the area under the curve (AUC) of C-ACT score for determining the level of asthma control. Validity indicators were calculated at different C-ACT cut-points to determine those most appropriate for predicting controlled and uncontrolled asthma. RESULTS: We enrolled 279 children, 64% males, with mean age 6.87±2.4 years. C-ACT score was significantly correlated with FEV1 at 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year visits (p<0.001). The AUC of C-ACT score compared with GINA score were above 80% at all visits. The suggested C-ACT score cut-point of controlled asthma was ≥ 23 (sensitivity 69.5%, specificity 73.3%, positive predictive value (PPV) 81.2%, negative predictive value (NPV) 63.8%); that of uncontrolled asthma was ≤ 18 (sensitivity 54.2%, specificity 96.9%, PPV 61.9%, NPV 95.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The Thai version of the C-ACT is an accurate, simple, and useful tool for assessing asthma control among Thai children. The high AUC suggests that the Thai C-ACT is as good as the GINA guideline in predicting asthma control level.

Cow's milk protein allergy: immunological response in children with cow's milk protein tolerance.

OBJECTIVE: To study changes in immunological responses in patients with CMPA during symptomatic and asymptomatic episodes of cow's milk protein tolerance status. METHODS: 27 CMPA patients were enrolled and underwent diagnostic evaluation, including CM challenge test, skin prick test and specific IgE to CM. Blood samples were collected in two periods from those who became tolerant (n = 13) and those with persistent CMA (n = 14), in order to measure in vitro PBMC responses to cow's milk protein (IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-5), IgG4 to ß-lactoglobulin, casein, BLG-IgG4/IgE ratio and the CAS-IgG4/IgE ratio. RESULTS: Seventy percent of CMPA patients in our study were male with a mean age at diagnosis of 8 months and mean age of onset of 3 months. The reaction time to CM ranged from within 7 minutes to within 14 days. Positive IgE-sensitization was defined as either a specific IgE to CM of more than 0.35 kUA/L (N=11) or SPTs positive for CM and/or fresh cow's milk (N=20). Forty-eight percent of the patients (n = 13) could tolerate CM by 13.38 months (8-19 months). Mean specific-IgE levels to CM were 4.1 kUA/L (range 0.35-14.3 kUA/L). Determination of the cytokine (IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-5) response to BLG revealed significantly higher IL-10 levels during the tolerance phase (212.93 vs 142.46 pg/ml, P = .011). There was a significant increase in BLG-IgG4 and the BLG-IgG4/IgE ratio in the tolerance phase when compared to the symptomatic phase. CONCLUSIONS: IL-10, BLG-IgG4 and the BLG-IgG4/IgE ratio were higher in CMPA patients during the tolerance phase compared to the symptomatic phase.