Use of Asthma APGAR Tools in Primary Care Practices: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess patient and practice outcomes after introducing the Asthma APGAR (Activities, Persistent, triGGers, Asthma medications, Response to therapy) tools into primary care practices.

Methods

We used a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled design in 18 US family medicine and pediatric practices to compare outcomes in patients with persistent asthma aged 5 to 45 years after introduction of the Asthma APGAR tools vs usual care. Patient outcomes included asthma control, quality of life, and emergency department (ED), urgent care, and inpatient hospital visits. The practice outcome was adherence to asthma guidelines.

Results

We enrolled 1,066 patients: 245 children, 174 adolescents, and 647 adults. Sixty-five percent (692 patients

SUBMITTER: Yawn BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5847347 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature