Clinical impact of an integrated e-health system for diabetes self-management support and shared decision making (POWER2DM): a randomised controlled trial.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: There is a lack of e-health systems that integrate the complex variety of aspects relevant for diabetes self-management. We developed and field-tested an e-health system (POWER2DM) that integrates medical, psychological and behavioural aspects and connected wearables to support patients and healthcare professionals in shared decision making and diabetes self-management. METHODS: Participants with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (aged >18 years) from hospital outpatient diabetes clinics in the Netherlands and Spain were randomised using randomisation software to POWER2DM or usual care for 37 weeks. This RCT assessed the change in HbA1c between the POWER2DM and usual care groups at the end of the study (37 weeks) as a primary outcome measure. Participants and clinicians were not blinded to the intervention. Changes in quality of life (QoL) (WHO-5 Well-Being Index [WHO-5]), diabetes self-management (Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire - Revised [DSMQ-R]), glycaemic profiles from continuous glucose monitoring devices, awareness of hypoglycaemia (Clarke hypoglycaemia unawareness instrument), incidence of hypoglycaemic episodes and technology acceptance were secondary outcome measures. Additionally, sub-analyses were performed for participants with type 1 and type 2 diabetes separately. RESULTS: A total of 226 participants participated in the trial (108 with type 1 diabetes; 118 with type 2 diabetes). In the POWER2DM group (n=111), HbA1c decreased from 60.6±14.7 mmol/mol (7.7±1.3%) to 56.7±12.1 mmol/mol (7.3±1.1%) (means ± SD, p<0.001), compared with no change in the usual care group (n=115) (baseline: 61.7±13.7 mmol/mol, 7.8±1.3%; end of study: 61.0±12.4 mmol/mol, 7.7±1.1%; p=0.19) (between-group difference 0.24%, p=0.008). In the sub-analyses in the POWER2DM group, HbA1c in participants with type 2 diabetes decreased from 62.3±17.3 mmol/mol (7.9±1.6%) to 54.3±11.1 mmol/mol (7.1±1.0%) (p<0.001) compared with no change in HbA1c in participants with type 1 diabetes (baseline: 58.8±11.2 mmol/mol [7.5±1.0%]; end of study: 59.2±12.7 mmol/mol [7.6±1.2%]; p=0.84). There was an increase in the time during which interstitial glucose levels were between 3.0 and 3.9 mmol/l in the POWER2DM group, but no increase in clinically relevant hypoglycaemia (interstitial glucose level below 3.0 mmol/l). QoL improved in participants with type 1 diabetes in the POWER2DM group compared with the usual care group (baseline: 15.7±3.8; end of study: 16.3±3.5; p=0.047 for between-group difference). Diabetes self-management improved in both participants with type 1 diabetes (from 7.3±1.2 to 7.7±1.2; p=0.002) and those with type 2 diabetes (from 6.5±1.3 to 6.7±1.3; p=0.003) within the POWER2DM group. The POWER2DM integrated e-health support was well accepted in daily life and no important adverse (or unexpected) effects or side effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: POWER2DM improves HbA1c levels compared with usual care in those with type 2 diabetes, improves QoL in those with type 1 diabetes, improves diabetes self-management in those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and is well accepted in daily life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03588104. FUNDING: This study was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant agreement number 689444).

Cumulative corticosteroid-sparing effect of anti-interleukin-5/5Ra in eosinophilic asthma.

BACKGROUND: Anti-interleukin (IL)-5/IL-5 receptor α (IL-5Ra) therapy has been shown to reduce maintenance oral corticosteroid (OCS) dose in severe eosinophilic asthma. However, the effect on cumulative OCS exposure is currently unknown. Neither is it known how prior OCS exposure affects response to anti-IL-5/5Ra treatment. We aimed primarily to compare the cumulative OCS exposure over a 2-year period before and after anti-IL-5/5Ra initiation, and secondarily to investigate whether duration and cumulative OCS exposure prior to anti-IL-5/5Ra influence the ability to discontinue OCS within 2 years of anti-IL-5/5Ra therapy. METHODS: This real-world nationwide observational registry-based study evaluated all dispensed OCS from 389 adults with severe eosinophilic asthma included in the Dutch Severe Asthma Registry (RAPSODI) 2 years before and 2 years after initiating anti-IL-5/5Ra. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and multivariable regression analyses were used. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range) cumulative OCS exposure in the 2 years before and after anti-IL-5/5Ra initiation decreased from 2.715 (1.150-5.539) to 1.050 (0.300-3.640) g (p<0.001). 52% of patients were able to discontinue OCS within 2 years after anti-IL-5/5Ra therapy, which was independently predicted by lower and shorter prior OCS exposure. CONCLUSIONS: This real-world study showed that anti-IL-5/5Ra therapy leads to a significant reduction in cumulative OCS exposure over a 2-year period. Patients with lower and shorter OCS exposure were more likely to completely eliminate OCS. Since cumulative exposure increased progressively prior to anti-IL-5/5Ra initiation, our data suggest that early intervention leads to a better long-term prognosis in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma.

Fasting parameters for estimation of stimulated ß cell function in islet transplant recipients with or without basal insulin treatment.

In order to assess ß cell secretory capacity after islet transplantation, standardized mixed meal stimulation tests are often used. But these tests are cumbersome and the effect of exogenous insulin on the test results is unclear. The aim of our study was to determine to what extent fasting glycemic indices can estimate stimulated ß cell function in islet transplant recipients with and without basal insulin. In total 100 mixed meal stimulation tests, including 31 with concurrent basal insulin treatment, were performed in 36 islet transplant recipients. In a multivariate model, fasting C-peptide and fasting glucose together estimated peak C-peptide with R2  = .87 and area under the curve (AUC) C-peptide with a R2  = .93. There was a larger increase of glucose during tests in which exogenous insulin was used (+7.9 vs +5.3 mmol/L, P < .001) and exogenous insulin use was associated with a slightly lower estimated peak C-peptide (relative change: -15%, P = .02). In islet transplant recipients the combination of fasting C-peptide and glucose can be used to accurately estimate stimulated ß cell function after a mixed meal stimulation test, whether exogenous basal insulin is present or not. These data indicate that graft function can be reliably determined during exogenous insulin treatment and that regular islet graft stimulation tests can be minimized.

Short-term and long-term effect of a high-intensity pulmonary rehabilitation programme in obese patients with asthma: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the short-term and long-term effects of a high intensity pulmonary rehabilitation programme on asthma control, body composition, lung function and exercise capacity in obese asthma patients. METHODS: Patients with obesity (body mass index (BMI)≥30 kg·m-2) and suboptimal controlled asthma (Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ)≥0.75) were randomly assigned to a 3-month pulmonary rehabilitation programme (PR only), pulmonary rehabilitation programme with the use of an internet based self-management support programme (PR+SMS) or usual care. The pulmonary rehabilitation programme included high-intensity interval training, nutritional intervention and psychological group sessions. Patients in the usual care group were advised to lose weight and to exercise. The primary outcome was the difference of change of ACQ between PR only and PR+SMS after 3 months. Total follow-up was 12 months. RESULTS: 34 patients were included in the study (14 PR only, nine PR+SMS, 11 control). Compared with patients in usual care, patients in the PR only group had a significant reduction in BMI and significant improvements in asthma control, exercise capacity and aerobic capacity after 3 months. These improvements persisted during 12 months of follow-up. No difference in ACQ between PR+SMS and PR only groups was observed. However, users of the SMS programme had a significantly lower BMI after 12 months compared with subjects in the PR only group. CONCLUSION: A high-intensity pulmonary rehabilitation programme provides sustained improvements in asthma control, body composition and exercise capacity in obese asthmatics that are not optimally controlled and, therefore, should be considered in the treatment of these patients.

Characteristics and treatment regimens across ERS SHARP severe asthma registries.

Little is known about the characteristics and treatments of patients with severe asthma across Europe, but both are likely to vary. This is the first study in the European Respiratory Society Severe Heterogeneous Asthma Research collaboration, Patient-centred (SHARP) Clinical Research Collaboration and it is designed to explore these variations. Therefore, we aimed to compare characteristics of patients in European severe asthma registries and treatments before starting biologicals.This was a cross-sectional retrospective analysis of aggregated data from 11 national severe asthma registries that joined SHARP with established patient databases.Analysis of data from 3236 patients showed many differences in characteristics and lifestyle factors. Current smokers ranged from 0% (Poland and Sweden) to 9.5% (Belgium), mean body mass index ranged from 26.2 (Italy) to 30.6 kg·m-2 (the UK) and the largest difference in mean pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s % predicted was 20.9% (the Netherlands versus Hungary). Before starting biologicals patients were treated differently between countries: mean inhaled corticosteroid dose ranged from 700 to 1335 µg·day-1 between those from Slovenia versus Poland when starting anti-interleukin (IL)-5 antibody and from 772 to 1344 µg·day-1 in those starting anti-IgE (Slovenia versus Spain). Maintenance oral corticosteroid use ranged from 21.0% (Belgium) to 63.0% (Sweden) and from 9.1% (Denmark) to 56.1% (the UK) in patients starting anti-IL-5 and anti-IgE, respectively.The severe asthmatic population in Europe is heterogeneous and differs in both clinical characteristics and treatment, often appearing not to comply with the current European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society guidelines definition of severe asthma. Treatment regimens before starting biologicals were different from inclusion criteria in clinical trials and varied between countries.

Internet-Based Self-Management Support After High-Altitude Climate Treatment for Severe Asthma: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: In patients with severe asthma, high-altitude climate treatment has been shown to improve asthma control. However, asthma symptoms and limitations may increase after finishing inpatient rehabilitation programs and returning to sea level. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effectiveness of a patient-tailored, internet-based, self-management strategy in addition to usual care after finishing high-altitude climate treatment. METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled trial with a 1-year follow-up in patients from a high-altitude asthma center in Davos, Switzerland. At the end of a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation program, 62 adults with asthma were randomized to receive either internet-based self-management support in addition to usual care (n=33) or usual care only after discharge (n=29). The endpoints were changes in asthma-related quality of life according to the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) (a higher score is better) and asthma control according to the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) (a lower score is better), with a minimally important difference of 0.5 points for both. RESULTS: Asthma-related quality of life and asthma control declined over time in the usual care strategy group, whereas there was a slower decline in the internet-based strategy group. For both endpoints, mixed-model analysis showed a significant positive effect in favor of internet-based self-management during follow-up (mean AQLQ score difference 0.39, 95% CI 0.092-0.69; P=.01 and ACQ score difference -0.50, 95% CI -0.86 to -0.15; P=.006), which was prominent among patients with uncontrolled asthma at discharge (AQLQ score difference 0.59, 95% CI 0.19-0.99; P=.003 and ACQ score difference -0.73, 95% CI -1.18 to -0.28; P=.002). CONCLUSIONS: Internet-based self-management support was associated with a smaller decline in quality of life and asthma control as compared with usual care, especially in patients with lower asthma control, after completion of high-altitude climate treatment. Internet-based self-management support in adults with severe asthma seems feasible and effective to maintain quality of life and asthma control. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register (NTR1995).

Perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals on mHealth for asthma self-management.

Mobile healthcare (mHealth) has the potential to revolutionise the self-management of long-term medical conditions such as asthma. A user-centred design is integral if mHealth is to be embraced by patients and healthcare professionals.The aim of this study was to determine the perspectives of individuals with asthma and healthcare professionals on the use of mHealth for asthma self-management.We used a sequential exploratory mixed methods design; focus groups informed the development of questionnaires, which were disseminated to individuals with asthma and healthcare professionals.Focus group participants (18 asthma patients and five healthcare professionals) identified 12 potential uses of mHealth. Questionnaire results showed that individuals with asthma (n=186) most frequently requested an mHealth system to monitor asthma over time (72%) and to collect data to present to healthcare teams (70%). In contrast, healthcare professionals (n=63) most frequently selected a system alerting patients to deteriorating asthma control (86%) and advising them when to seek medical attention (87%). Individuals with asthma were less likely than healthcare professionals (p<0.001) to believe that assessing medication adherence and inhaler technique could improve asthma control.Our data provide strong support for mHealth for asthma self-management, but highlight fundamental differences between the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals.

Airway inflammation in COPD after long-term withdrawal of inhaled corticosteroids.

Long-term treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) might attenuate lung function decline and decrease airway inflammation in a subset of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and discontinuing ICS treatment could result in further lung function decline. We hypothesised that airway inflammation increases after ICS withdrawal following long-term ICS treatment in COPD.In the GLUCOLD-1 study (GL1), 114 patients with moderate-severe COPD were randomised to 6-month or 30-month treatment with fluticasone propionate (500 µg twice daily), 30-month treatment with fluticasone/salmeterol (500/50 µg twice daily) or placebo. During the 5-year follow-up study (GL2), patients were followed prospectively while being treated by their physician. Bronchial biopsies and induced sputum were collected at baseline, at 30 months (end of GL1) and at 7.5 years (end of GL2) to assess inflammatory cell counts. Data were analysed using linear mixed-effects models.In patients using ICS during GL1 and using ICS 0-50% of the time during GL2 (n=61/85), there were significant increases in GL2 bronchial CD3+ (fold change per year calculated as GL2 minus GL1 2.68, 95% CI 1.87-3.84), CD4+ (1.91, 95% CI 1.33-2.75) and CD8+ cells (1.71, 95% CI 1.15-2.53), and mast cells (1.91, 95% CI 1.36-2.68). The sputum total cell counts increased significantly in GL2 (1.90, 95% CI 1.42-2.54), as did counts of macrophages (2.10, 95% CI 1.55-2.86), neutrophils (1.92, 95% CI 1.39-2.65) and lymphocytes (2.01, 95% CI 1.46-2.78).ICS discontinuation increases airway inflammation in patients with moderate-severe COPD, suggesting that the anti-inflammatory effects of ICS in COPD are not maintained after ICS discontinuation.

Validation of the dutch version of the health education impact questionnaire (HEIQ) and comparison of the Dutch translation with the English, German and French HEIQ.

BACKGROUND: The Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) evaluates the effectiveness of health education and self-management programs provided to people dealing with a wide range of conditions. Aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt and validate the Dutch translation of the heiQ and to compare the results with the English, German and French translations. METHODS: A systematic translation process was undertaken. Psychometric properties were studied among patients with arthritis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy and asthma (n = 286). Factorial validity using confirmatory factor analysis, item difficulty (D), item remainder correlation and composite reliability were conducted. Stability was tested using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Items were well understood and only minor language adjustments were required. Confirmatory fit indices were >0.95 and item difficulty was D ≥ 0.65 for all items in scales showing acceptable fit indices, except for the reversed Emotional distress scale. Composite reliability ranged between 0.67 and 0.85. Test-retest reliability (n = 93) ICC varied between 0.61 and 0.84. Comparisons with other translations showed comparable fit indices. A lower ICC on Self-monitoring and insight scale was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The Dutch translation of the heiQ was found to be well understood and user friendly by patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Atopic Dermatitis, Food allergy and asthma and to have robust psychometric properties for evaluating the impact of health education and self-management programs. Given the wide applications of the heiQ and the comparability of the Dutch results with the English, German and French version, the heiQ is a practical and useful questionnaire to evaluate the impact of self-management support programs in different countries and populations with different diseases.

Cost-effectiveness of FENO-based and web-based monitoring in paediatric asthma management: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In children with asthma, web-based monitoring and inflammation-driven therapy may lead to improved asthma control and reduction in medications. However, the cost-effectiveness of these monitoring strategies is yet unknown. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the cost-effectiveness of web-based monthly monitoring and of 4-monthly monitoring of FENO as compared with standard care. METHODS: An economic evaluation was performed alongside a randomised controlled multicentre trial with a 1-year follow-up. Two hundred and seventy-two children with asthma, aged 4-18 years, were randomised to one of three strategies. In standard care, treatment was adapted according to Asthma Control Test (ACT) at 4-monthly visits, in the web-based strategy also according to web-ACT at 1 month intervals, and in the FENO-based strategy according to ACT and FENO at 4-monthly visits. Outcome measures were patient utilities, healthcare costs, societal costs and incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found in QALYs and costs between the three strategies. The web-based strategy had 77% chance of being most cost-effective from a healthcare perspective at a willingness to pay a generally accepted €40 000/QALY. The FENO-based strategy had 83% chance of being most cost-effective at €40 000/QALY from a societal perspective. CONCLUSIONS: Economically, web-based monitoring was preferred from a healthcare perspective, while the FENO-based strategy was preferred from a societal perspective, although in QALYs and costs no statistically significant changes were found as compared with standard care. As clinical outcomes also favoured the web-based and FENO-based strategies, these strategies may be useful additions to standard care. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Netherlands Trial Register (NTR1995).

Identifying patients at risk for severe exacerbations of asthma: development and external validation of a multivariable prediction model.

BACKGROUND: Preventing exacerbations of asthma is a major goal in current guidelines. We aimed to develop a prediction model enabling practitioners to identify patients at risk of severe exacerbations who could potentially benefit from a change in management. METHODS: We used data from a 12-month primary care pragmatic trial; candidate predictors were identified from GINA 2014 and selected with a multivariable bootstrapping procedure. Three models were constructed, based on: (1) history, (2) history+spirometry and (3) history+spirometry+FeNO. Final models were corrected for overoptimism by shrinking the regression coefficients; predictive performance was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Models were externally validated in a data set including patients with severe asthma (Unbiased BIOmarkers in PREDiction of respiratory disease outcomes). RESULTS: 80/611 (13.1%) participants experienced ≥1 severe exacerbation. Five predictors (Asthma Control Questionnaire score, current smoking, chronic sinusitis, previous hospital admission for asthma and ≥1 severe exacerbation in the previous year) were retained in the history model (AUROC 0.77 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.80); Hosmer-Lemeshow p value 0.35). Adding spirometry and FeNO subsequently improved discrimination slightly (AUROC 0.79 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.81) and 0.80 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.81), respectively). External validation yielded AUROCs of 0.69 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.75; 0.63 to 0.75 and 0.63 to 0.75) for the three models, respectively; calibration was best for the spirometry ­model. CONCLUSIONS: A simple history-based model extended with spirometry identifies patients who are prone to asthma exacerbations. The additional value of FeNO is modest. These models merit an implementation study in clinical practice to assess their utility. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NTR 1756.

Lung function decline in asthma patients with elevated bronchial CD8, CD4 and CD3 cells.

Which inflammatory markers in the bronchial mucosa of asthma patients are associated with decline of lung function during 14 years of prospective follow-up?To address this question, 19 mild-to-moderate, atopic asthmatic patients underwent spirometry and bronchoscopy at baseline and after 14 years of follow-up (t=14). Baseline bronchial biopsies were analysed for reticular layer thickness, eosinophil cationic protein (EG2), mast cell tryptase (AA1), CD3, CD4 and CD8. Follow-up biopsies were stained for EG2, AA1, neutrophil elastase, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, granzyme B, CD68, DC-SIGN, Ki67 and mucins.Decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % predicted was highest in patients with high CD8 (p=0.01, both pre- and post-bronchodilator) or high CD4 counts at baseline (p=0.04 pre-bronchodilator, p=0.03 post-bronchodilator). Patients with high CD8, CD3 or granzyme B counts at t=14 also exhibited faster decline in FEV1 (p=0.00 CD8 pre-bronchodilator, p=0.04 CD8 post-bronchodilator, p=0.01 granzyme B pre-bronchodilator, and p<0.01 CD3 pre-bronchodilator).Long-term lung function decline in asthma is associated with elevation of bronchial CD8 and CD4 at baseline, and CD8, CD3 and granzyme B at follow-up. This suggests that high-risk groups can be identified on the basis of inflammatory phenotypes.

Therapeutic validity and effectiveness of supervised physical exercise training on exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the effectiveness of supervised physical exercise training on exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease taken into consideration indices such as therapeutic validity of interventions, methodological quality of studies, and exercise volume. DATA RESOURCES: MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PEDro databases were searched from inception until 17 July 2015 for randomized controlled trials comparing the effect of supervised exercise training vs. usual care in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The references of included studies and review articles were hand searched for additional references and key authors of included trials were crosschecked in PubMed for any missed references. REVIEW METHODS: Two reviewers independently assessed therapeutic validity of exercise training and methodological quality of included studies. Overall effects were calculated using a random effects model. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies involving 756 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were included. Significant differences in maximal exercise capacity (standardized mean difference 0.52, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.74) and endurance exercise capacity (standardized mean difference 0.73, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.96) in favor of physical exercise training were found. The volume of physical exercise per week, the total volume of physical exercise, or their associations did not significantly influence the effect of training. CONCLUSION: Effects of supervised physical exercise was not significantly altered by therapeutic validity. A combination of aerobic exercise and strength training was found to be more effective than strength training or endurance training alone in increasing the 6-minute walking distance.

Symptom- and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide-driven strategies for asthma control: A cluster-randomized trial in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Aiming at partly controlled asthma (PCa) instead of controlled asthma (Ca) might decrease asthma medication use. Biomarkers, such as the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (Feno), allow further tailoring of treatment. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the cost-effectiveness and clinical effectiveness of pursuing PCa, Ca, or Feno-driven controlled asthma (FCa). METHODS: In a nonblind, pragmatic, cluster-randomized trial in primary care, adults (18-50 years of age) with a doctor's diagnosis of asthma who were prescribed inhaled corticosteroids were allocated to one of 3 treatment strategies: (1) aiming at PCa (Asthma Control Questionnaire [ACQ] score <1.50); (2) aiming at Ca (ACQ score <0.75); and (3) aiming at FCa (ACQ score <0.75 and Feno value <25 ppb). During 12 months' follow-up, treatment was adjusted every 3 months by using an online decision support tool. Outcomes were incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year gained, asthma control (ACQ score), quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score), asthma medication use, and severe exacerbation rate. RESULTS: Six hundred eleven participants were allocated to the PCa (n = 219), Ca (n = 203), or FCa (n = 189) strategies. The FCa strategy improved asthma control compared with the PCa strategy (P < .02). There were no differences in quality of life (P ≥ .36). Asthma medication use was significantly lower for the PCa and FCa strategies compared with the Ca strategy (medication costs: PCa, $452; Ca, $551; and FCa, $456; P ≤ .04). The FCa strategy had the highest probability of cost-effectiveness at a willingness to pay of $50,000/quality-adjusted life year (86%; PCa, 2%; Ca, 12%). There were no differences in severe exacerbation rate. CONCLUSION: A symptom- plus Feno-driven strategy reduces asthma medication use while sustaining asthma control and quality of life and is the preferred strategy for adult asthmatic patients in primary care.

Development and validation of a 5-day-ahead hay fever forecast for patients with grass-pollen-induced allergic rhinitis.

One-third of the Dutch population suffers from allergic rhinitis, including hay fever. In this study, a 5-day-ahead hay fever forecast was developed and validated for grass pollen allergic patients in the Netherlands. Using multiple regression analysis, a two-step pollen and hay fever symptom prediction model was developed using actual and forecasted weather parameters, grass pollen data and patient symptom diaries. Therefore, 80 patients with a grass pollen allergy rated the severity of their hay fever symptoms during the grass pollen season in 2007 and 2008. First, a grass pollen forecast model was developed using the following predictors: (1) daily means of grass pollen counts of the previous 10 years; (2) grass pollen counts of the previous 2-week period of the current year; and (3) maximum, minimum and mean temperature (R (2)=0.76). The second modeling step concerned the forecasting of hay fever symptom severity and included the following predictors: (1) forecasted grass pollen counts; (2) day number of the year; (3) moving average of the grass pollen counts of the previous 2 week-periods; and (4) maximum and mean temperatures (R (2)=0.81). Since the daily hay fever forecast is reported in three categories (low-, medium- and high symptom risk), we assessed the agreement between the observed and the 1- to 5-day-ahead predicted risk categories by kappa, which ranged from 65 % to 77 %. These results indicate that a model based on forecasted temperature and grass pollen counts performs well in predicting symptoms of hay fever up to 5 days ahead.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation vs intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide in diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: a randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE: High-dose immunosuppressive therapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have shown efficacy in systemic sclerosis in phase 1 and small phase 2 trials. OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy and safety of HSCT vs 12 successive monthly intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation International Scleroderma (ASTIS) trial, a phase 3, multicenter, randomized (1:1), open-label, parallel-group, clinical trial conducted in 10 countries at 29 centers with access to a European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation-registered transplant facility. From March 2001 to October 2009, 156 patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis were recruited and followed up until October 31, 2013. INTERVENTIONS: HSCT vs intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary end point was event-free survival, defined as time from randomization until the occurrence of death or persistent major organ failure. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients were randomly assigned to receive HSCT (n = 79) or cyclophosphamide (n = 77). During a median follow-up of 5.8 years, 53 events occurred: 22 in the HSCT group (19 deaths and 3 irreversible organ failures) and 31 in the control group (23 deaths and 8 irreversible organ failures). During the first year, there were more events in the HSCT group (13 events [16.5%], including 8 treatment-related deaths) than in the control group (8 events [10.4%], with no treatment-related deaths). At 2 years, 14 events (17.7%) had occurred cumulatively in the HSCT group vs 14 events (18.2%) in the control group; at 4 years, 15 events (19%) had occurred cumulatively in the HSCT group vs 20 events (26%) in the control group. Time-varying hazard ratios (modeled with treatment × time interaction) for event-free survival were 0.35 (95% CI, 0.16-0.74) at 2 years and 0.34 (95% CI, 0.16-0.74) at 4 years. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, HSCT was associated with increased treatment-related mortality in the first year after treatment. However, HCST conferred a significant long-term event-free survival benefit. TRIAL REGISTRATION: isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN54371254.

Early detection of asthma exacerbations by using action points in self-management plans.

Our aim was to validate optimal action points in written action plans for early detection of asthma exacerbations. We analysed daily symptoms and morning peak expiratory flows (PEFs) from two previous studies. Potential action points were based on analysis of symptom scores (standard deviations) percentage of personal best PEF, PEF variability in relation to a run-in period or combinations of these measures. Sensitivity and specificity for predicting exacerbations were obtained for each action point. The numbers needed to treat to prevent one exacerbation and the time interval between reaching action point criteria and the start of the exacerbation were calculated. Based on these parameters, the optimal action points for symptoms, PEF and PEF plus symptoms were determined, and their performance compared with published guidelines' action points. The optimal action points were, for symptoms, statistical variability (standard deviations) and, for PEF, <70% of personal best. The combination of PEF plus symptoms performed best, with improved specificity and earlier detection. The main benefits associated with using these action points was to reduce false positive rates for detecting exacerbations. Early detection of asthma exacerbations can be improved using a composite action point comprising symptoms and PEF measurements over 1 week.

Long-term outcomes of internet-based self-management support in adults with asthma: randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Long-term asthma management falls short of the goals set by international guidelines. The Internet is proposed as an attractive medium to support guided self-management in asthma. Recently, in a multicenter, pragmatic randomized controlled parallel trial with a follow-up period of 1 year, patients were allocated Internet-based self-management (IBSM) support (Internet group [IG]) or usual care (UC) alone. IBSM support was automatically terminated after 12 months of follow-up. In this study, IBSM support has been demonstrated to improve asthma-related quality of life, asthma control, lung function, and the number of symptom-free days as compared to UC. IBSM support was based on known key components for effective self-management and included weekly asthma control monitoring and treatment advice, online and group education, and communication (both online and offline) with a respiratory nurse. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to assess the long-term effects of providing patients 1 year of IBSM support as compared to UC alone. METHODS: Two hundred adults with physician-diagnosed asthma (3 or more months of inhaled corticosteroids prescribed in the past year) from 37 general practices and 1 academic outpatient department who previously participated were invited by letter for additional follow-up at 1.5 years after finishing the study. The Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) were completed by 107 participants (60 UC participants and 47 IG participants). A minimal clinical important difference in both questionnaires is 0.5 on a 7-point scale. RESULTS: At 30 months after baseline, a sustained and significant difference in terms of asthma-related quality of life of 0.29 (95% CI 0.01-0.57) and asthma control of -0.33 (95% CI -0.61 to -0.05) was found in favor of the IBSM group. No such differences were found for inhaled corticosteroid dosage or for lung function, measured as forced expiratory volume in 1 second. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in asthma-related quality of life and asthma control were sustained in patients who received IBSM support for 1 year, even up to 1.5 years after terminating support. Future research should be focused on implementation of IBSM on a wider scale within routine asthma care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 79864465; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN79864465 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6J4VHhPk4).

Comparison between an online self-administered and an interviewer-administered version of the Asthma Control Questionnaire: a cross-sectional validation study.

BACKGROUND: Online self-management programmes for asthma have recently become available. International guidelines suggest that the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) can be used in these programmes. In order to assess the current level of control and guide therapy, the same cut-off values are being used as in conventional asthma management. However, results might differ between different types of administration of the ACQ. AIMS: To assess the agreement between an online self-administered version of the ACQ and an interviewer-administered version at a routine visit. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from primary care asthma patients in the Asthma Control Cost Utility Randomized Trial Evaluation (ACCURATE) trial aged 18-50 years and prescribed inhaled steroids were analysed. We selected patients who self-administered an ACQ online and subsequently had an ACQ completed by a nurse practitioner within 7 days at a trial-related control visit. ACQ scores were calculated and agreement assessed by paired t-tests, Pearson's correlation coefficient and a Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: A total of 351 patients were eligible (68% female, mean age 40 years). The time interval between the two versions was 3.2 days. There was a significant difference of 0.14 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.20; p<0.001) between the results of the online self-administered ACQ (mean 1.04±0.04) and the interviewer-administered ACQ results (0.90±0.04). The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.79. The limits of agreement (-0.86, 1.14) exceeded the predefined minimal clinically important difference between results (±0.5). The Bland-Altman plot therefore showed insufficient agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of asthma control by the ACQ is influenced by the type of administration. Our results suggest that better control of asthma is perceived when interacting with a caregiver than by online self-assessment.