Efficacy-based comparison between adults and children regarding using advanced counseling for asthma

Abstract

Background

Asthma advanced counseling using smartphone applications has recently become one of the most effective and commonly used methods among adults and children with asthma.

Objectives

We aimed to compare the advanced counseling effectiveness between adults and children with asthma.

Methods

A cohort prospective parallel study was performed on a group of adults and children nonsmoking patients with asthma, using a pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI). The patients were divided into two groups namely adults with asthma with ages ranging from 19 to 60 years and Children with asthma with ages ranging from 11 to 18 years, the two groups received a 2-month course of advanced counseling using “Asthma software” and “Asthma Dodge” smartphone applications, during which the two groups were monitored using the forced expiratory volume in the first second to the forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ratio and asthma control test (ACT). The study has obtained ethical approval with the serial number REC-H-PhBSU-23002, adhering to the principles outlined in The Declaration of Helsinki, from the Ethical Approval Committee of Beni-Suef University Faculty of Pharmacy.

Results

With a total of 60 patients with asthma (N = 60), 31 adults (N = 31), and 29 children (N = 29), We found that starting from the first-month visit of counseling the children group showed superiority over the adult group in terms of the pulmonary function improvement p = .006. Also, regarding ACT scores the children group showed a superiority over the adult group this significance started from the first-month visit and continued to the second-month visit with p values = .032 and .011, respectively.

Conclusion

The advanced counseling achieved better asthma control and pulmonary function improvement in children and adults; however, the improvement was much better in children with asthma than adults with asthma.

Keywords:

• Adult asthma
• children asthma
• smartphone application
• advanced counseling
• Asthma counseling

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Author contributions

Basma M. E. Mohamed: searching, data entry, writing, and statistics. Nabila Laz: searching, data entry, writing, and statistics. Hoda Rabea: searching, data entry, writing, and statistics. Haitham Saeed: concept, planning of study design and writing. Mohamed E. A. Abdelrahim: concept, planning of study design, statistics, and writing.

Disclosure statement

All authors reported no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.