Pediatric Asthma Risk Score

Name: Pediatric Asthma Risk Score
Author: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:Clinicians & Healthcare ProfessionalsGeneral Public & EnthusiastsPatients & Caregivers

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App Summary

The Pediatric Asthma Risk Score (PARS) is a screening tool for clinicians and families that calculates a personalized, continuous risk score for asthma development in young children based on six key factors. Developed and validated in a longitudinal birth cohort (N=762), the PARS tool demonstrated robust predictive accuracy (sensitivity=0.68, specificity=0.77) and improved upon the standard Asthma Predictive Index, especially for children at mild-to-moderate risk. The associated research concludes that PARS is a robust screening tool that can be easily implemented in a clinical setting to provide a more personalized and accurate asthma risk assessment for young children.

App Screenshots

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Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, the Pediatric Asthma Risk Score (PARS) is a clinical calculation tool that generates a personalized asthma risk score for young children. The interface captures input on six weighted risk factors: parental asthma, eczema, wheezing history, allergen sensitization, and race. The system processes these inputs to yield a continuous score from 0 to 14, corresponding to a specific percentage risk of developing asthma by age seven.

Evidence & Research Context

The PARS model was developed and validated in a large birth cohort (N=762) and its performance was successfully replicated in a second, independent international cohort, demonstrating robust and generalizable predictive accuracy.
Across cohorts, the tool demonstrated strong performance metrics, with sensitivity ranging from 0.67–0.68 and specificity from 0.77–0.79 for predicting asthma development by age seven.
Compared to the widely used Asthma Predictive Index (API), the PARS provides an 11% increase in sensitivity and shows superior capability in identifying children with mild-to-moderate risk.
Key predictive factors incorporated into the weighted score include early wheezing (OR 2.88), sensitization to multiple allergens (OR 2.44), and African American race (OR 2.04).

Intended Use & Scope

Designed for clinicians, PARS functions as a point-of-care screening tool to quantify a young child's future asthma risk. The score is intended to facilitate risk stratification and parental counseling. It is not a diagnostic instrument and does not provide clinical management recommendations; further clinical evaluation is required for diagnosis and treatment.

Studies & Publications

2 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Non-Evaluative Reference

The pediatric asthma risk score (PARS): making the move to the most accurate pediatric asthma risk screening tool

Sherenian et al. (2019) · Expert Review of Clinical Immunology

Referenced in academic literature; no direct evaluation of the app

Asthma affects 25.7 million people in the United States including 7.0 million children1, and its global pharmacotherapeutic costs exceed $5 billion per year2. Primary prevention of asthma has been identified as a key public health goal to decrease morbidity, mortality, and economic burden of disease. Recently, an Asthma Birth Cohort Workshop, jointly sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), the National

Non-Evaluative Reference

A Pediatric Asthma Risk Score (PARS) to Better Predict Asthma Development in Young Children

Biagini Myers et al. (2019) · Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Referenced in academic literature; no direct evaluation of the app

Asthma phenotypes are currently not amenable to primary prevention or early intervention because their natural history cannot be reliably predicted. Clinicians remain reliant on poorly predictive asthma outcome tools because of a lack of better alternatives. We sought to develop a quantitative personalized tool to predict asthma development in young children. Data from the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (n = 762) birth

In the Media

Asthma Risk Score Tool Performs Well Across Diverse Populations

Cincinnati Children's researchers developed the Pediatric Asthma Risk Score (PARS) to provide personalized asthma risk estimates for children birth to age 3, using six factors in a continuous scoring system rather than a simple yes/no prediction. "We developed PARS to give families and clinicians a more personalized estimate of a child's risk of developing asthma," says Dr. Gurjit Khurana Hershey, with recent research published in NEJM Evidence demonstrating the tool performs well across diverse populations and ethnicities. PARS is available as a free six-question tool through a website or mobile app via the Apple Store and Google Play.

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