| Methods |
DESIGN: Randomised Controlled Trial
METHOD OF RANDOMISATION: the word "random" stated ; method not described.
METHOD OF ALLOCATION CONCEALMENT: not described.
OUTCOME ASSESSOR BLINDING: not stated.
WITHDRAWAL/DROPOUTS: all subjects accounted for. |
| Participants |
Eligible: 126
Randomised: 85
Completed: 76 (Intervention 36; Control 40)
Age: Overall mean: 49.8 yrs (sd 12.4) Range: 27 to 70 yrs
Sex: Male / Female 27/49
Asthma Diagnosis: as per American Thoracic Society
Recruitment: participants whose asthma was generally under control
Diseases Included: not specified
Major exclusions: Fixed airways, concurrent uncontrolled medical conditions, occupational asthma, drug abuse, obesity, low weight, cognitive or intellectual deficits.
Baseline:
FEV1: Patients described their asthma as moderate to severe.
PEF: am (intervention 331+/‐ 92; control 333 +/‐ 123.7)
Exacerbations: not stated |
| Interventions |
Setting: not specified (? allergy clinic)
Type: Education and self monitoring of peak flow and symptoms
Control: No special education. Controls kept an asthma diary (symptoms and PEF) for 6 months on a daily basis and again for 2 weeks prior to the 12 months follow‐up.
Duration: 7 x 90 minute training sessions 1/week over 7 weeks. |
| Outcomes |
Knowledge, Hospitalisation, ER visits, doctor visits, PEF ‐ evening daily average, quality of life (Beck Depression Inventory, Quality of Well‐Being Scale), Wheeze, Exacerbations, Breathing difficulty, Coughing, Chest tightness. |
| Notes |
|
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Unclear risk |
Information not available (Cochrane Grade B) |
