A computerized asthma-specific quality of life: a novel tool for reflecting asthma control and predicting exacerbation.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Proper assessment of health-related quality of life is essential to

achieve and maintain a controlled status in asthmatic patients. We developed our

own computerized asthma-specific quality-of-life (cA-QOL) questionnaire based on

in-depth interviews with adult asthmatic patients. In this study, we evaluated

this cA-QOL in terms of the Asthma Control Test (ACT) score and Global Initiative

for Asthma (GINA) guidelines as well as asthma exacerbation, and compared it with

the asthma-related quality-of-life questionnaire (AQLQ). METHODS: We conducted a

multicenter, prospective, observational study in 133 adult asthmatic patients

recruited from 5 university hospitals in South Korea, who were randomized into 2

groups according to the operating order of the cA-QOL and AQLQ. At every visit

(3-month interval), physicians evaluated asthma control status with monitoring

spirometry. The self-administered cA-QOL, AQLQ(S) and ACT were completed.

RESULTS: The cA-QOL scores correlated significantly with ACT and AQLQ(S) scores

(r = 0.814, p < 0.001; r = 0.900, p < 0.001). The cA-QOL score was significantly

lower where the ACT score was <19, in the patients with an uncontrolled asthma

status according to the GINA guidelines and in those with asthma exacerbation (p

< 0.001, respectively). A multivariate analysis showed that this cA-QOL was a

significant parameter associated with an uncontrolled asthma status and asthma

exacerbation (p < 0.001, p = 0.045, p = 0.019, respectively). CONCLUSION: The

cA-QOL is a valid tool for reflecting current asthma control status and for

assessment to predict the future risk of asthma exacerbation in adult asthmatics.