Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire predicts exacerbation risk and improves asthma control

A recent study by William McCann found that Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ) helps in predicting short- and long-term exacerbations and also can increase awareness of exacerbation risk. The findings of the study were presented in the 2023 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of AIRQ in predicting asthma exacerbations within a short-term (0-3 months) and long-term (4-12 months) time frame. AIRQ is a 10-item control tool that predicts exacerbations within the next 12 months based on the patient's control level, which is categorized as well-controlled (WC), not well-controlled (NWC), or very poorly controlled (VPC) based on the number of yes responses (0-1, 2-4, or 5-10, respectively).

The study included 1070 patients aged 12 years or older who completed a baseline AIRQ and 12 monthly online reports of exacerbations. Logistic regression analysis was performed using AIRQ control level as the independent variable and >1 exacerbation within the specified time frames as the dependent variable. The results showed that exacerbation rates increased with worsening AIRQ control in both the short- and long-term time frames, with NWC and VPC groups having significantly higher odds ratios for exacerbations compared to the WC group. No significant difference in AIRQ exacerbation prediction performance between time periods was observed.

The study finds AIRQ effective in predicting both short- and long-term asthma exacerbations, and can help patients and healthcare providers become aware of potential imminent and distant exacerbation risk. This tool may be useful in monitoring asthma control and identifying patients who require more aggressive management to prevent exacerbations. However, it is important to note that AIRQ is just one tool in managing asthma, and it should be used in conjunction with other clinical assessments and patient education to optimize asthma control and reduce exacerbations.

Reference:

McCann, W., Chipps, B., Beuther, D., Zeiger, R., Wise, R., Reibman, J., George, M., Gilbert, I., Eudicone, J., Gandhi, H., Harding, G., Cutts, K., & Murphy, K. (2023). The Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ®) Predicts Short- and Long-term Risk of Exacerbations in Adolescents and Adults with Asthma. In Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Vol. 151, Issue 2, p. AB78). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2022.12.247