The aim of the study was to assess the effect of treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with asthma. We used the Japanese version of the Living With Asthma Questionnaire (LWAQ) as an asthma-specific HRQoL measure. Thirty-four new patients were enrolled and treated according to Guidelines on the Management of Asthma by the British Thoracic Society. The LWAQ and spirometry were evaluated on the initial visit, and three and six months after treatment.
The LWAQ score, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), and forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly improved three months after treatment. The Japanese version of the LWAQ was reliable. For the first three months, there were no correlations between changes in FEV₁ or FVC and LWAQ scores (Rs=0.11-0.25). Pulmonary functions could not predict HRQoL well. Therefore, HRQoL should be measured directly to assess HRQoL in asthmatics.