Assessing the functional status during an asthma attack with Dartmouth COOP charts. Validity with respect to the change in asthma.

The functional status of patients was determined during an acute attack of asthma requiring medical intervention. Patients were recruited during two months from general practice: all 28 patients consulting for an acute asthma attack were invited to take part: four refused or were withdrawn from follow up. Matched control patients with asthma, not suffering from an acute attack were selected from the practice file. Patients were investigated directly after the initial intervention and exactly 14 days later: respiratory symptoms, peak expiratory flow rates and functional status were recorded. In all cases the intervention resulted in the relief of symptoms and a return of peak expiratory flow to the normal predicted range for age, sex and height. After the 14 days, patients had no longer evidence of an exacerbation of their asthma. During the attack, there were indications of reduced physical and psychological functions, and reduced daily and social activities. A difference was found in the functional profile of asthmatics with an asthma attack and asthmatics without an asthma attack. After 14 days, the functional status of all the dimensions had improved. There was no evident correlation to the change in functional status and peak expiratory flow rates. An asthma attack hampers the patient in his daily functioning--not only physically, but also in social functioning and feelings. There are indications that the recuperation in terms of functioning takes longer than the symptoms to disappear or the peak expiratory flow to return to normal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)