Beverley J. Sheares|Robert B. Mellins|Emily DiMango|Denise Serebrisky|Zuyi Yuan|Michael R. Bye|Mark Dovey|Sami A. Nachman|Vincent E. Hutchinson|David Evans
Do Patients of Subspecialist Physicians Benefit from Written Asthma Action Plans?
Royal College of Physicians|Albert Einstein College of Medicine|Cornell University|Harlem Hospital Center|Columbia University
asthma clinical guidelines suggest written asthma action plans essential improving selfmanagement outcomesto assess efficacy written instructions form written asthma action plan provided subspecialist physicians part usual asthma care office visitsa total 407 children adults persistent asthma receiving firsttime care pulmonary allergy practices 4 urban medical centers randomized receive either written instructions n 204 written instructions prescriptions n 203 physiciansusing written asthma action plan forms vehicle providing selfmanagement instructions significant effect primary outcomes 1 asthma symptom frequency 2 emergency visits 3 asthma quality life baseline 12month followup groups showed similar significant reductions asthma symptom frequency daytime symptoms p 00001 nocturnal symptoms p 00001 agonist use p 00001 also significant reduction emergency visits intervention p 00001 control p 00006 groups significant improvement asthma qualityoflife scores adults p 00001 pediatric caregivers p 00001our results suggest using written asthma action plan form vehicle providing asthma management instructions patients persistent asthma receiving subspecialty care first time confers added benefit beyond subspecialtybased medical care education asthma clinical trial registered wwwclinicaltrialsgov nct 00149461