Asthma Control Test (ACT)

Nathan RA, Sorkness CA, Kosinski M, et al. Development of the asthma control test: a survey for assessing asthma control. Five self-administered items (activity limitation, dyspnoea, nocturnal symptoms, rescue-inhaler use, self-rated control), each 1–5, summed 5–25; a score ≤ 19 identified inadequately controlled asthma against specialist assessment.

Schatz M, Sorkness CA, Li JT, et al. Asthma Control Test: reliability, validity, and responsiveness in patients not previously followed by asthma specialists. A cut-point of 19 (≤ 19 = not well controlled) and 20–24 / 25 for well controlled / totally controlled performed well; a change of 3 points is clinically meaningful.

GINA and the NAEPP EPR-4 update list the ACT among validated numerical control tools. The ACT is copyrighted (QualityMetric) but freely available for clinical use; bands here: ≥ 20 well controlled, 16–19 not well controlled, ≤ 15 poorly controlled.