ASSESSMENT OF ASTHMA CONTROL IN CHILDREN AGED OVER 5 YEARS USING THE ASTHMA CONTROL TEST (ACT) AT VIETNAM NATIONAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
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Abstract
Background: Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease that substantially affects patients’ daily activities, school performance, and overall well-being. Achieving asthma control is one of the two principal goals of asthma management, alongside improving patients’ quality of life.
Objective: To evaluate asthma control in children aged over 5 years using the Asthma Control Test (ACT) at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital during 2025–2026.
Methods: A prospective longitudinal descriptive study was conducted in children aged over 5 years who were diagnosed with asthma and managed at the Department of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital.
Results: The male-to-female ratio was 1.32:1, with a mean age of 9.2 ± 2.4 years. Children aged 6–11 years accounted for 84.9% of the study population. The proportion of patients achieving well-controlled asthma, as assessed by the ACT, was 47.7% after 1 month of controller therapy. This proportion increased to 66.3% and 89.3% after 3 and 6 months, respectively, with statistically significant differences over time (p < 0.001). After 1 month of treatment, the rate of well-controlled asthma was significantly higher in children aged 12–15 years than in those aged 6–11 years (76.9% vs. 42.5%, p = 0.016). Asthma control improved over time in both age groups. However, no significant differences in asthma control were observed between the two age groups at 3 and 6 months (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Asthma control, as measured by the ACT, improved significantly after 1, 3, and 6 months of asthma management.
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Keywords
asthma, asthma control, children, Asthma Control Test (ACT)
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