The modifiable biopsychosocial drivers of psychological distress for adolescents with asthma: Implications for Clinical Care.

PURPOSE: Overwhelming distress exceeds the capacity of healthy coping strategies to feel better using healthy coping strategies alone, resulting in the use of unhealthy coping strategies. Unhealthy coping strategies may exacerbate asthma symptoms and asthma can contribute to overwhelming distress. This study aimed to review the modifiable drivers of overwhelming distress in adolescents with asthma. METHODS: The biopsychosocial drivers of psychological distress for adolescents with asthma were explored within the domains of the modifiable biopsychosocial model of health and wellbeing. RESULTS: Asthma in adolescents is associated with problems in the domains of environment, developmental outcomes, sense of belonging, health behaviours, coping, and treatment of illness. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between asthma and psychological distress highlights the need for holistic treatment of asthma. Further research is needed to establish causation between variables and to investigate whether interventions that address either asthma symptoms or biopsychosocial drivers of distress can improve both factors.

Short-acting bronchodilators for the management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the hospital setting: systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is a lack of guidelines for the use of short-acting bronchodilators (SABD) in people admitted to hospital for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), despite routine use in practice and risk of cardiac adverse events. AIM: To review the evidence that underpins use and optimal dose, in terms of risk versus benefit, of SABD for inpatient management of AECOPD and collate the results for future guidelines. METHODS: Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, clinicaltrials.gov and International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched (inception to November 2017) for published and ongoing studies. Included studies were randomised controlled trials or controlled clinical trials investigating the effect of SABD (ß2-agonist and/or ipratropium) on inpatients with a diagnosis of AECOPD. This review was undertaken in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and a pre-defined protocol. Due to heterogeneous methodologies, meta-analysis was not possible so the results were synthesised qualitatively. RESULTS: Of 1378 studies identified, 10 met inclusion criteria. Narrative synthesis of 10 studies revealed no significant differences in most outcomes of interest relative to dose, delivery via inhaler or nebuliser, and type of ß2-agonist used. However, some evidence demonstrated significantly increased cardiac side effects with increased dosage of ß2-agonist (45% versus 24%), P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This review identified a paucity of methodologically rigorous evidence evaluating use of SABD among AECOPD. The available evidence did not identify any additional benefits for participants receiving higher doses of short-acting ß2-agonists compared to lower doses, or based on type of delivery method or ß2-agonists used. However, there was a small increase in some adverse events for participants using higher doses of ß2-agonists.