Level control of asthma patients in chest specialist clinics.

OBJECTIVES This survey aims to assess the current levels of asthma control as reported by patients attending chest specialist clinic by using the Asthma Control Test (ACT) questionnaire. METHODS Current levels of asthma control were assessed using the ACT questionnaire, and a brief instrument developed to assess asthma control in a clinical setting. 141 (100 females) patients aged 13 years and above were recruited from the chest clinic of Royal hospital, a tertiary hospital in the Sultanate of Oman. The ACT questionnaire was administered only from the second visit. RESULTS The result showed that 61% of patients scored between "20 and 25" (well controlled), 17.7% of the patients scored between "15 and 19" (not well controlled), and the rest 21.3% scored between "5 and 14" (poorly controlled). More than 50% of the patients reported that their asthma had an impact in work, school or home Nocturnal symptoms were reported by 66% and the use of rescue medications by 70%. Patient perception of asthma control did not match their symptom severity as more than 65% considered their asthma controlled despite the fact that their symptoms limited their daily activities and disturbed their sleep. CONCLUSION The current level of asthma control among the study patients falls far short of the goals for long-term asthma management and patients' perception of asthma control is different from their actual asthma control.