Comparison of Asthma Control among Children 5–18 Years of Age by Asthma Control Test Questionnaire of Global Initiative for Asthma 2017 (GINA-2017) Against Spirometry

Objective To compare asthma control by Asthma Control Test (ACT)/Childhood Asthma Control Test (cACT) Questionnaire of Global Initiative for Asthma 2017 (GINA-2017) against spirometry in children, 5–18 y of age, with asthma. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted between July 2017 and March 2019 in pulmonology OPD of a tertiary care center. Children with asthma aged 5–18 y, falling under the inclusion criteria had spirometry and cACT/ACT questionnaire before starting inhaled corticosteroids. After 12 wk, symptom control was reassessed by ACT/cACT and spirometry. Chi-square/Fischer exact test and paired t- test/Mann–Whitney U test used for qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. Results ACT/cACT pretreatment score was 12.76 (2.521), and at follow-up the score was 23.94 (1.941) ( p < 0.001). Control by GINA increased from 2.04% to 91.84% at follow-up ( p < 0.001). Significant improvement in forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF 25−75 ) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) between pretreatment and follow-up seen were −71.86%, 106.84%, 101.82%, and 97.51% vs. 82.2%, 109.55%, 110.38%, and 107.00%, respectively. Positive correlation between ACT/cACT and FEV1 ( r = 0.26, p ≤ 0.05), PEFR ( r = 0.30, p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions There is a good correlation of symptom control between ACT/cACT and spirometry with significant positive correlation for FEV1, PEFR.