Asthma symptoms/Quality of life
Supervised by their parents/caregivers, the adolescents completed
Spanish versions of validated questionnaires on asthma symptoms (Global
Asthma Network [GAN] written questionnaire)9 and
quality of life (Kiddo-KINDL)10. The Kiddo-KINDL
questionnaire consists of 24 items, which are grouped into sub-sections
based on physical well-being, emotional well-being, self-esteem, family
relationships, friends, and school. Each item is scored between 1
(never) and 5 (always). The questions refer to the week before the
appointment, and the scores obtained in each sub-section are transformed
into a 0–100 scale that allows for comparison. A higher score
represents a better quality of life.
Based on the methodology of the International Study of Asthma and
Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) 11, current asthma was
defined as a positive answer to the question: “Have you had wheezing or
whistling in the chest in the last 12 months?” Medical records from
neonatal intensive care and pediatric pulmonology units were reviewed,
and parents/caregivers were interviewed to obtain additional demographic
and clinical information.