Pediatric asthma control in A sia: P hase 2 of the A sthma I nsights and R eality in A sia‐ P acific ( AIRIAP 2) survey

Background We conducted Phase 2 of the A sthma I nsights and R eality in the A sia‐ P acific ( AIRIAP 2) survey in 2006 to determine the level of asthma control in this region and the validity of the A sthma C ontrol T est™ ( ACT ) and childhood ACT ( C ‐ ACT ) in relation to asthma control. Methods Pediatric participants (0 to <16 years; N  = 988) with diagnosed asthma and current asthma symptoms or taking anti‐asthma medications were recruited from 12 geographic areas in Asia. The survey consisted of the AIRIAP 2 questionnaire (asthma symptoms, use of urgent healthcare services and anti‐asthma medication) and the ACT or C ‐ ACT ( E nglish or C hinese translations only), both administered in the participant's preferred language. A symptom control index based on the G lobal I nitiative for A sthma criteria (except lung function) was used to classify asthma control status. Results Most participants had inadequately controlled asthma (‘uncontrolled’ = 53.4%, 528/988; ‘partly controlled’ = 44.0%, 435/988). Only 2.5% (25/988) had ‘controlled’ asthma. Demand for urgent healthcare services (51.7%, 511/988) and use of short‐acting beta‐agonists (55.2%, 545/988) was high. The optimal ACT and C‐ ACT cutoff score for detecting uncontrolled asthma (compared with controlled or partly controlled asthma) was determined to be ≤19 (receiver operating characteristic analysis) with good agreement between the ACT and C ‐ ACT and the symptom control index. Conclusions Findings from this survey show that asthma control is suboptimal in many children in the A sia‐ P acific region. Practical tools, such as the ACT or C ‐ ACT , may help clinicians assess asthma control and facilitate adjustment of asthma medication.