Abstract
Objectives: We developed a JPAC questionnaire that can easily determine severity and control status to study its usefulness, in order to ensure that the asthma guideline-based care management is appropriately performed.
Methods: Severity is determined based on 3 questions regarding asthma symptoms, respiratory distress, and impairment of daily activities in the JPAC questionnaire, and control status is determined by adding another 2 questions regarding exercise-induced asthma and the frequency of using a β2-agonist. Using this questionnaire, the relationship between the JPAC score, severity, and the results of a respiratory functions test was studied in 225 asthma patients aged 5 to 19 who were seen at Shimoshizu Hospital.
Results: There was a significant correlation between increasing severity and a low JPAC score with p<0.0001 in the Jonckheere-Terpstra test.
The mean ± S.D. of the JPAC score at each severity as determined based on the severity and frequency of symptoms were 15±0 for remission, 14.9±0.3 for intermittent asthma, 13.1±1.2 for mild persistent asthma, 9.2±1.0 for moderate persistent asthma, and 7.0±2.4 for severe persistent asthma, and were also consistent with the established control standard of a score of 15 indicatuing complete control, a score of 12-14 indicating good control, and a score of 11 or less indicating poor control.
Analysis of variance showed a significant correlation between JPAC score and the respiratory function tests with p<0.0001 for %FEV1.0, %MMF, and %V50
Conclusion: JPAC is suited to determine severity and control status in asthma patients, and will help to spread guideline-based care.
