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Members Key Resources » AAAAI News AAAAI eNews 2007 Accomplishments Promoting your Practice Order Public Education Materials Disease Management/ Ask the Expert Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Education and Research Trust (ART) Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Member Resources Annual Meeting Executive Staff Contacts Online Membership Directory AAAAI Organizational Structure » Members Contact AAAAI: Professional Home for the Practicing Allergist AAAAI Job Placement Center Grants and Awards Hot Topics Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (JCAAI) ST*AR Program AAAAI Assembly overview Allied Health Federation of the RSLAAI Societies International Military Allergy New Allergist/Immunologist Assembly Program Directors Organizational Chart Board of Directors Interest Sections Committees Fellows-in-Training Allied Health Professional Assembly Federation of RSLAAIS International Assembly Military Allergy Assembly New Allergist/Immunologist Assembly Program Directors Associates		Quantifying asthma symptoms in adults: the Asthma Symptom Scale Have you ever wondered how your asthma is assessed when you come to the office? They have you blow into a machine, they listen to your chest with a stethoscope, and they talk with you about how you've been doing. Perhaps they've even had you fill out a brief questionnaire. These are all pieces of the puzzle that when put together provide a picture of your asthma health status. Many patients with asthma are not well controlled. Both patients and their physicians tend to over-estimate the level of asthma control. Good asthma control assessment tools are needed to provide specific information to help guide management of this disease. Asthma health status has at least four components: asthma-specific quality of life pulmonary function testing daytime symptoms (and daytime rescue inhaler use) nighttime symptoms (and nighttime rescue inhaler use) This study presented in the December 2007 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology evaluates the reliability of The Lara Asthma Symptom Scale (LASS), an 8-item asthma control questionnaire which could provide more accurate information about asthma symptoms than general overall assessments, which often overestimate asthma control. Several questionnaires have been developed to measure asthma control. Each of these questionnaires has certain limitations. Some questionnaires are limited to either adults or children. Although all of the questionnaires address different aspects of asthma control, only the LASS includes items about asthma "attacks". The Lara Asthma Symptom Scale can be used to assess asthma control in both adults and children and offers a new reliable tool for assessing your asthma health status. Have you ever wondered how your asthma is assessed when you come to the office? They have you blow into a machine; they listen to your chest with a stethoscope; and they talk with you about how you've been doing. Perhaps they've even had you fill out a brief questionnaire. These are all important pieces of the puzzle that, when put together, provide a picture of your asthma health status. Asthma health status has at least four components: asthma-specific quality of life pulmonary function testing daytime symptoms (and daytime rescue inhaler use) nighttime symptoms (and nighttime rescue inhaler use) Many patients with asthma are not well controlled. Both patients and their physicians tend to over-estimate the level of asthma control. Good asthma control assessment tools are needed to provide specific information to help guide management of this disease. Several questionnaires have been developed to measure asthma control but each has certain limitations. General overall assessments often overestimate asthma control and some are used only for either adults or children. This study presented in JACI evaluates the ability of an 8-item asthma control questionnaire, The Lara Asthma Symptom Scale (LASS), to provide reliable information about asthma symptoms. It is the only questionnaire that includes questions about asthma "attacks." The researchers determined that the LASS is dependable and accurate for assessing asthma control in both adults and children. It offers a new reliable tool for assessing your asthma health status. <back>
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