What is the Pediatric Asthma Severity Score?

From the Guidelines

The Pediatric Asthma Severity Score is not explicitly defined in the provided evidence, but based on the most recent and highest quality study, the Composite Asthma Severity Index (CASI) is a tool used to assess asthma severity, which includes multiple domains such as symptoms, lung function, and biomarkers 1.

Key Components of Asthma Severity Assessment

• The assessment of asthma severity is crucial in guiding treatment decisions and monitoring response to interventions.
• The Composite Asthma Severity Index (CASI) is a tool that includes multiple domains such as symptoms, lung function, and biomarkers to assess asthma severity.
• Other tools such as the Seasonal Asthma Exacerbation Prediction Index (SAEPI) and adherence-monitoring technology can also be used to assess asthma severity and guide treatment decisions.

Importance of Objective Assessment

• Objective assessment of asthma severity is essential in reducing subjective variation in assessment and ensuring appropriate treatment intensity.
• The use of standardized tools such as the CASI can help clinicians objectively determine asthma severity and guide treatment decisions.
• The assessment of asthma severity should include multiple domains such as symptoms, lung function, and biomarkers to get a comprehensive understanding of the disease.

Clinical Application

• Clinicians should use the CASI and other tools to assess asthma severity and guide treatment decisions.
• The assessment of asthma severity should be done regularly to monitor response to interventions and adjust treatment plans as needed.
• The use of objective assessment tools can help improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden of asthma.

From the Research

Definition and Purpose of the Pediatric Asthma Severity Score

• The Pediatric Asthma Severity Score (PASS) is a clinical score designed to evaluate the severity of acute asthma in children aged 1 through 18 years 2.
• The PASS is based on three clinical findings: wheezing, prolonged expiration, and work of breathing 2.
• The purpose of the PASS is to provide a reliable and valid measure of asthma severity in children, which can be used for clinical and research purposes 2.

Components and Calculation of the PASS

• The PASS is a composite score that includes three clinical findings: wheezing, prolonged expiration, and work of breathing 2.
• The score is calculated based on the presence and severity of these clinical findings, with higher scores indicating more severe asthma 2.
• The PASS has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of asthma severity, with good interobserver reliability and significant correlations with peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and pulse oximetry 2.

Comparison with Other Asthma Severity Scores

• The PASS has been compared with other asthma severity scores, such as the Pulmonary Index Score (PIS), the Childhood Asthma Score (CAS), and the Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measure (PRAM) 3, 4.
• The PASS has been shown to be a simple and easily used instrument for assessing the severity of an acute asthma exacerbation, with comparable criterion validity and improved responsiveness compared to more complex scores 4.
• However, the use of standardized published pediatric asthma severity scores, including the PASS, is infrequently used in clinical practice, with few units routinely collecting the data required to calculate them 3.