Madge 1997.
Methods | STUDY DESIGN: Parallel group randomised controlled trial
LOCATION, NUMBER OF CENTRES: Single centre in urban area of UK
DURATION OF STUDY: Not reported Blinding of outcome assessor not described |
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Participants | N SCREENED: 201 N RANDOMISED: 201 (treatment: 96; control: 105) N COMPLETED: 201 (hospital data); 129 (questionnaire) M = 124 F = 77 MEDIAN AGE: 5 BASELINE DETAILS: Median (range) number of previous admissions: intervention 2 (0 to 8) control 2 (0 to 19) INCLUSION CRITERIA: >= 2 years admitted to a children's hospital for acute asthma EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Children admitted on a weekend | |
Interventions | EDUCATION GROUP: Type: asthma management training programme by specialist asthma nurse: information (written and interactive); instruction in self‐monitoring of PEF (> 5 years) and/or symptoms; short course of oral steroids with guidance on when to start them; written action plan; 1 review session at nurse‐run asthma clinic and telephone advice after discharge Parents and children included; delivered during admission and continued at home Duration: about 45 minutes over 2 to 3 meetings, plus 1 follow‐up clinic visit and telephone advice as required CONTROL GROUP: Usual care TREATMENT PERIOD: 2 to 3 weeks FOLLOW‐UP PERIOD: 14 months |
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Outcomes | Hospital admissions, ED visits ‐ measured for between 2 and 14 months from discharge, i.e. AFTER intervention completed. Urgent GP visit within 3 to 4 weeks from discharge. Day and night morbidity scores, disability score ‐ measured at 3 to 4 weeks following discharge, i.e.. AFTER intervention completed. | |
Notes | ||
Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Adequate sequence generation? | Low risk | Drawing cards to allocate each sequential future admission to intervention or control |
Allocation concealment? | High risk | Open list |
Incomplete outcome data addressed? All outcomes | Low risk | Complete for hospital data; available case for other endpoints |