A centralised respiratory diagnostic service for primary care: a 4-year audit

Source: Prim Care Respir J

Follow this link for the fulltext

Date of publication: 19 March 2012

Publication type: Journal article – online first

In a nutshell: The literature shows that delayed or erroneous diagnosis of respiratory conditions may be common in primary care due to underuse of spirometry or poor spirometric technique. The Community Respiratory Assessment Unit (CRAU) was established to optimise diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease by providing focused history-taking, quality-assured spirometry, and evidence-based guideline-derived management advice.

Improving adult asthma care

Source: NHS Improvement – Lung 

Link to full text

Date of publication: April 2012

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: Report of emerging learning from the first round of national asthma improvement projects.

Length of publication:  28p pdf

Asthma Activists in Liverpool

Source: Asthma UK 

Follow this link to the full text

Date of publication: Feb 2012

Publication type: News story

In a nutshell:  The Liverpool Asthma Activist Project has been launched to team up volunteers with people whose asthma isn’t as well managed and whose lives are being severely affected by the condition, to provide support on a one to one basis. The volunteers will be trained and supported by Asthma UK.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Asthma

Source:  SIGN 

with links to full text booklets

Date of publication:  December 2011

Publication type:  Various pages

In a nutshell:

SIGN have produced 6 patient booklets for asthma management in adults and children.  They explain the recommendations in the clinical guideline and are designed to help make patients aware of the tests and treatments they should expect to receive.

Asthma: North West hospitals see highest number of admissions in the country

Source: The Information Centre:

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: 18th Nov 2011

Publication type: News story.

In a nutshell: North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) provisionally recorded 12,110 asthma admissions (175 per 100,000 of the population) in the 12 months to July 2011. This compares to an average (based on all 10 SHAs) of 6,810 admissions, or 130 per 100,000 of the population. The press release quotes other statistics and includes a link to the provisional Hospital Episodes report comtaining all the data.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Relationship Between Serum Vitamin D, Disease Severity and Airway Remodeling in Children with Asthma

Source:  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Published ahead of print on September 8, 2011, doi:10.1164/rccm.201107-1239OC

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication:  September 2011

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell: Researchers in London have been investigating vitamin D deficiency in children with severe, therapy-resistant asthma (STRA) and believe their study demonstrates that low levels of vitamin D are associated with poorer lung function, increased use of medication, worse symptoms, and an increase in the mass of airway smooth muscle in the 86 children they studied.  The research could eventually lead to the use of vitamin D supplementation in treatment-resistant asthma.

Some important notes: Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

Understanding patients with asthma and COPD

Source: Primary Care Respiratory Journal. Volume 20 Issue 3 September 2011 Pages 315-323

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: September 2011

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Report of a quantitative questionnaire-based survey performed in five European countries on patients with asthma and COPD. The researchers looked at quality of life, stigma and emotional distress.  The results lead them to conclude that although patient satisfaction was high, information needs were not being addressed.   They also note that the emotional burden of these conditions is underappreciated.

 Length of publication: 26 page pdf

NICE consults on first non-drug asthma treatment

Source: NICE

Follow this link for the full-text

Date of publication:  July 2011

Publication type: Press release

In a nutshell: NICE has issued draft guidance for a new treatment for severe asthma.  “Bronchial thermoplasty” heats the airways in the lungs; further research is needed to support its long term safety and efficacy.

Length of publication:  One web page

Moving towards effective chronic illness management: asthma as an exemplar

Source:  Chronic Respiratory Disease August 2011 vol. 8 no. 3 163-170

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication:  Aug 2011

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell: The United States health care system is at a pivotal point in its ability to manage chronic illness. The demands and philosophical differences between the management of acute and chronic illnesses suggest the need for different strategies for effective and efficient management of chronic illness. The purpose of this article is to discuss the Chronic Care Model and the collaborative approach to managing chronic illnesses, using asthma as an exemplar.

Length of publication:  7 pages

Some important notes:  Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Active Albuterol or Placebo, Sham Acupuncture, or No Intervention in Asthma

Source:  New England J Medicine 2011; 365:119-126 July 14, 2011

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication:  July 2011

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell: This double-blind, crossover pilot study compared active treatment with an albuterol inhaler, a placebo inhaler, sham acupuncture, or no intervention.  The authors concluded that placebo effects can be clinically meaningful and can rival the effects of active medication in patients with asthma but noted that patient self-reports can be unreliable.

Length of publication:  7 pages

Some important notes:  Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details Follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Multi-level intervention to improve non-adherence in difficult to control asthma

Source:  Respiratory Medicine Volume 105, Issue 9, September 2011, Pages 1308-1315

Follow this link for the abstract

Date of publication:  Sept 2011

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell: Research from Belfast into the effectiveness of a Specialist Difficult Asthma Service to improve non-adherence to medication in difficult to control asthma.  The authors conclude that poor adherence in difficult-to control asthma is common, but when identified and targeted can be improved and this is associated with large improvements in important healthcare outcomes.

Length of publication:  7 pages

Some important notes:  Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library

Telehealthcare for asthma

Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 10

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: Oct 2010

Publication type: Systematic review

In a nutshell: The authors concluded that telehealthcare interventions are unlikely to result in clinically relevant improvements in health outcomes in those with relatively mild asthma, but they may have a role in those with more severe disease who are at high risk of hospital admission. Further trials evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a range of telehealthcare interventions are needed.

Length of publication:  84 page pdf