Asthma control assessment using asthma control test among patients attending 5 tertiary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of asthma control using the Asthma Control Test ACT.

METHODS: The ACT was used to assess asthma control among patients with bronchial asthma visiting pulmonary clinics in 5 major tertiary care hospitals in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Each hospital had a target of 300 patients to recruit over the period of the study from the 1st September to 30th November 2006.

RESULTS: The total number of patients studied was 1,060 patients. Males constituted 442 42% and females constituted 618 58%, the median age was 38.56 years range 15-75. One third of patients had no formal education. The ACT score revealed uncontrolled asthma in 677 64%, well-controlled asthma in 328 31%, and complete controlled in 55 5%. There are no significant correlations between the age below 40 and above 40 years and level of asthma control p=0.12. However, the younger age group less than 20 had better control of asthma in comparison with older patients p=0.0001. There was a significant correlation between level of asthma control and gender, males 44% had better asthma control than females 30% p=0.0001.

CONCLUSION: Control of bronchial asthma is still a major concern in our population. Further studies are needed to explore the factors leading to poor asthma control.