RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF GUIDED SELF-MANAGEMENT AND TRADITIONAL TREATMENT OF ASTHMA OVER ONE-YEAR

Objective-To compare the efficacy of self management of asthma with tr aditional treatment. Design-12 month prospective randomised trial. Set ting-Outpatient clinics in Finland. Subjects-115 patients with mild to moderately severe asthma. Interventions-Patient education and adjustm ent of anti-inflammatory therapy guided by peak flow measurements. Mai n outcome measures-Unscheduled admissions to hospital and outpatient v isits, days off work, courses of antibiotics and prednisolone, lung fu nction, and quality of life. Results-The mean number of unscheduled vi sits to ambulatory care facilities (0.5 v 1.0), days off work (2.8 v 4 .8), and courses of antibiotics (0.4 v 0.9) and prednisolone (0.4 v 1. 0) per patient were lower and the quality of life score (16.6 v 8.4 at 12 months) higher in the self management group than in the traditiona lly treated group. In both groups admissions for asthma were rare. Con clusions-Self management reduces incidents caused by asthma and improv es quality of life.