Cross-sectional validation of the German version of the Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ)

Abstract

<b>Introduction/Background:</b> The Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ) is a 10-item asthma control tool that assesses both symptom impairment and exacerbation risk. To date, only the English version of the AIRQ has been validated in a United States (US) population (1). <b>Aims/objectives:</b> To validate the German-language version of the AIRQ in patients aged ≥12 years with different levels of asthma control. <b>Methods:</b> Cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted in Germany. A total of 300 patients completed the AIRQ (7 impairment and 3 risk items) to assess asthma control. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of the AIRQ were calculated relative to a composite of Asthma Control Test (ACT) score (impairment) and prior-year exacerbations (risk). <b>Results:</b> The AIRQ yielded an AUC of 0.91 to identify well-controlled vs not well-/very poorly controlled asthma with a sensitivity of 85.8% and a specificity of 82.3% using a cut-point of ≥2. An AUC of 0.90 to identify well-/not well-controlled vs very poorly controlled asthma with a sensitivity of 64.8% and a specificity of 91.8% was observed using a cut-point of ≥5 (Figure). <b>Conclusions:</b> The German version of the AIRQ demonstrated the ability to identify patients with poor asthma control. These results confirm the validity of the AIRQ in a non-US population.