title: Impact on quality of life by improving asthma control medication in patients with persistent asthma in a paediatric emergency department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of improving long-term control medications on quality of life in children with persistent asthma symptoms attended in a paediatric emergency department (PED).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study carried out in a Spanish PED from May to December 2010 including children 1-14 years of age with persistent asthma symptoms. At discharge, their long-term control medications was either initiated or improved on the basis of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. Three follow-up telephone interviews at 2 and 6 weeks and at 6 months after the PED visit were completed. Parents were asked about the presence of asthma symptoms and quality of life of the child, respectively, using a six-item paediatric asthma control tool and an eight-item asthma-related quality-of-life instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study was completed in 124 patients. Asthma LCTM was initiated in 74 (59.7%), improved in the same step in 36 (29%) and stepped up in 14 (11.3%). Ninety-one (73.4%), 107 (86.3%) and 117 patients (94.4%) were free of persistent asthma symptoms at 2 and 6 weeks and 6 months at follow-up, respectively. Seventy-five (60.5%) and 93 patients (75%) experienced an improvement in their quality of life between 2 and 6 weeks and 6 months after the PED visit, respectively. The mean eight-item asthma-related quality-of-life scores at 6 weeks and 6 months were significantly higher than those registered at 2 weeks at follow-up (91.9 ± 11 and 93 ± 10 vs. 86.1 ± 14.3; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children attended for acute asthma in PED where LCTM were initiated or stepped up showed a decrease in asthma persistent symptoms and an improvement in their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Emergency Department, Cruces University Hospital, Bizkaia, Spain. javier.benitof@osakidetza.net
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benito-Fernández
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mojica-Muñoz
authors.forename: Amagoia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andrés-Olaizola
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González-Balenciaga
authors.forename: Mireya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urrutia-Adan
authors.forename: Lorea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martinez-Indart
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mintegi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents