The relationship between asthma control test and pulmonary functions, quality of life, inflammation

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Asthma manegement has focused on symptomatic, We aimed to investigate the relationship between asthma control test (ACT) and airway inflammation parameters.METHODS: Onehundred-one asthmatic outpatients diagnosed according to GINA 2006 criteria and who were under treatment were included. ACT, pulmonary function test, bronchoprovocation test (MBPT), asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) were performed, exhaled nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured and induced sputum eosinophilia was evaluated at the first (basal) and third (control) months, upon arranging their treatment according to ACT.RESULTS: According to ACT, 9 patients were found to be controlled, 48 partially controlled and 44 uncontrolled in vizit 1(n=101). In visit 2 (n=83) 10 patients were shown to be controlled, 41 partially controlled and 32 uncontrolled. When 20 ppb was accepted as a cut off value for FeNO, the proportion of controlled patients was shown to be the same (8%), however the proportion of partially controlled patients decreased from 65% to 45%. MBPT positivity rates were decreased in both controlled and partially controlled patients (56%-30% and 66%-51%, respectively). With acut off value of 3% for induced sputum eosinophilia 23% of the patients in vizit 1 (n=62) and 30% of the patients in visit 2 (n=30) had eosinophilia.Any significant relationship wasn?t found between bazal ACT and pulmonary function parameters (FEV1(litre)) (r=0.48, p=0.631). With a cut off value of 20 ppb for FeNO, controlled (8%), prtially controlled (65%) and uncontrolled (27%) groups were different (p= 0.016). In both visits ACT and MBPT positivity (1. vizit p=0.447, 2. vizit p=0.333) and induced sputum eosinophilia were not different(1. vizit p=0.804, 2. vizit p=0.486) However, basal-control ACT and basal-control AQLQ were significantky correlated (*r=0,654 p<0,01 r=0,740 p<0,01 for basal and control respectively).