The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A 26-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study to evaluate the effect of omalizumab on asthma control in patients with persistent allergic asthma.
The 2007 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) asthma guidelines shifted the focus of care from asthma severity to ongoing assessment of asthma control using the components of impairment and risk. We evaluated the effect of omalizumab on asthma control in patients with persistent allergic asthma inadequately controlled with NHLBI Step 4 or above asthma therapy. ⋯ For allergic asthma patients with NHLBI Step 4 or above asthma therapy, omalizumab consistently improved asthma control; however, compared with placebo, differences were not significant. Placebo-treated patients had substantial improvement in their ACT score, which may have limited the ability to detect differences between treatment groups. Subgroup analyses showed significant improvements with omalizumab versus placebo in patients with very poorly controlled asthma.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Efficacy of racemic albuterol versus levalbuterol used as a continuous nebulization for the treatment of acute asthma exacerbations: a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial.
To compare racemic albuterol (RAC) with levalbuterol (LEV) in continuous form for the treatment of acute pediatric asthma exacerbations in the emergency department. ⋯ At the doses used, RAC appears to be superior to LEV with respect to changes in FEV1 and asthma score. There was no significant difference between the drugs with respect to admission rates or side-effect profile.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Influence of caregiver and provider communication on symptom days and medication use for inner-city children with asthma.
Effective pediatric guideline-based asthma care requires the caregiver to accurately relay the child's symptom frequency, pattern of rescue and controller medication use, and level of asthma control to the child's primary care clinician. ⋯ A home-based caregiver asthma communication educational intervention was not associated with decreased symptom days. However, a trend was noted in higher controller to total medication ratios in the intervention group. Inner-city caregivers of children with asthma may require a health systems approach to help convey the child's asthma health information to their clinician.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of oral magnesium supplementation on measures of airway resistance and subjective assessment of asthma control and quality of life in men and women with mild to moderate asthma: a randomized placebo controlled trial.
Epidemiological data shows low dietary magnesium(Mg) may be related to incidence and progression of asthma. ⋯ Adults who received oral Mg supplements showed improvement in objective measures of bronchial reactivity to methacholine and PEFR and in subjective measures of asthma control and quality of life.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Does parental involvement in pediatric emergency department asthma treatment affect home management?
To determine whether parents who deliver albuterol treatments in a pediatric emergency department with a metered dose inhaler with a spacer device (MDIS) report better adherence to MDIS use at home compared to parents whose children undergo standard nebulizer therapy. Children aged 1-5 years were randomized by day to usual treatment with nebulized albuterol (40 children) or to treatment by the parent with albuterol with an MDIS (46 children). ⋯ At follow-up, children in the MDIS group were 7.5 times more likely to be using the MDIS for their albuterol treatments (95%CI 1.6-35.6). Involving parents in treatment of asthma exacerbations in the emergency department using an MDIS may improve adherence to MDIS use at home.