Correlation Of Asthma Control Test And Peak Expiratory Flow In Asthma Management

[Objective]:To observe the effect and correlation of asthma control test(ACT)and peak expiratory flow(PEF)in asthma management, and further explore the correlation between the results of the two methods of ACT(subjective sensory evaluation)and PEF(objective monitoring datain)the management of asthma, to find a more accurate and convenient method to assess the condition of patients with bronchial asthma, to direct the regulate diagnosis and treatment of asthma.[Methods]:This study was designed as a non-double-blind, prospective, and open study.40 out-patients with non-acute attack asthma in our hospital were selected, age from 18 to 75 years old, male or female, were in lined with the diagnostic criteria of the "China guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of bronchial asthma", which was issued by branch of asthma group in the respiratory diseases of China. Exclusive criteria:patients with poor compliance, with serious disease of other organs, or patients with chronic respiratory diseases should be excluded, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis. All cases carried out the stepped therapy in remission with inhaled corticosteroids(ICS)and long acting beta agonists(LABA).The patients were asked to monitor PEF daily in the morning and evening by filling the chart. An outpatient visit was done once a month for calculating PEF value and percentage of the predicted value in PEF of each individual(PEFpred%). ACT questionnaire was conducted for the scores, and the scores< 20 on the list indicated failure of control, whereas, those of 20-25 were thought to be well controlled. Also, The asthma was thought to be under control by value of PEFpred%≥ 80% while the PEFpred%<80% was failure. According to the ACT score<20 points,≥20 points were divided into group A or B, at the same time, according to PEFpred%< 80%, PEFpred%≥80% were divided into group C or D.[Results]:40 patients were followed up once every 4 weeks for a period of 6 months, a total of 280 ACT scores and PEFpred% were performed. Among them, the group A was 62 times,218 times in the group B,65 in the group C and 215 in the group D. PEFpred%, the average score of group A (67.80±8.21) was less than that of group B (84.54±3.41), P< 0.001; the mean ACT scores of group C(17.37±2.20) was less than that of group D (21.67±1.38), P< 0.001. Using Pearson correlation analysis, ACT scores as independent variables, PEFpred% as dependent variables, Act scores and PEFpred% has linear correlation, correlation coefficient r=0.88. The linear regression equation between the two was Y= 3.07X+17.45, P<0.001.[Conclusions]:There is a good correlation between ACT scores and PEFpred% for patients with asthma, Single or Combined application of ACT and PEFpred% might be an accurate and convenient method in the management of asthma.