The Asthma Control Test (ACT) as an alternative tool toGlobal Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guideline criteria forassessing asthma control in Vietnamese outpatients

AbstractAims:To determine the reliability and validity of the Asthma Control Test (ACT) to detect Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)-defineduncontrolled or partly controlled asthma, and to determine the agreement between ACT and GINA in classifying asthma control amongVietnamese patients. Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed in 323 of 360 invited outpatients with asthma in Ho Chi Minh City to compare the ACTand GINA classification for asthma control. Results:Internal consistency of the ACT (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.83. The kappa coefficient of 0.55, based on the ternary split, representsmoderate agreement between the two rating systems with a correctly classified rate of 75%. The area under the receiver operatingcharacteristics curve for the ACT score predicting GINA control was 0.85. To detect GINA-defined ‘not controlled asthma’, the ACT had asensitivity of 70%, specificity of 93%, and a positive predictive value of 89%, with a cut-off point of 19. The validity of the ACT withregard to agreement with the GINA classification was consistent across both sexes, but less so in adolescents or younger adults. The ACTscore was significantly correlated with the percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (r=0.35, p