Wesseldine 1999.
Methods | STUDY DESIGN: Parallel design, controlled trial
LOCATION, NUMBER OF CENTRES ‐ Leicester UK, Children's hospital
DURATION OF STUDY:18 months Outcome assessors blinded |
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Participants | N SCREENED: Not reported N RANDOMISED: 160 (treatment: 80; control: 80) N COMPLETED: 160 M = 98 F = 62 MEAN AGE: Range: 2 to 16 years BASELINE DETAILS: Previous ED visit: intervention 23%, control 19%; hospital admission in previous 6 months: intervention 20%, control 24% INCLUSION CRITERIA: 2 to 16 years, admitted to a children's hospital for asthma during 1996 EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Not reported | |
Interventions | EDUCATION GROUP: Type: structured discharge package by trained children's asthma nurse, consisting of information (written and interactive); instruction in self‐management; individual written action plan, which allowed medication to be adjusted according to symptoms and peak flow (for children over 7 to 8 years) Children and families included; delivered at time of discharge Setting: hospital Duration: 20 minutes; actual mean (SD): 23 (2.9) minutes CONTROL GROUP: Usual care TREATMENT PERIOD: Delivered at discharge FOLLOW‐UP PERIOD: 6 months |
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Outcomes | Hospital admissions, ED visits, GP consultations for problematic asthma, and school days lost for any medical illness ‐ measured for 6 months after discharge, i.e. AFTER intervention completed Nocturnal symptoms, activity restrictions also measured but data not given | |
Notes | ||
Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Adequate sequence generation? | Low risk | Computer generated numerical codes in blocks of 10 |
Allocation concealment? | Low risk | Opaque, sealed envelopes, opened after consent obtained |
Incomplete outcome data addressed? All outcomes | Low risk | Complete set of data |