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.