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Preschoolers' and parents' asthma education trial (P2AET)—a randomized controlled study

European Journal of Pediatrics volume 169, pages 1051–1060 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate a family-oriented psycho-educational asthma training program for the age group of 2–5 years, involving both parents and children. Children were included after having at least 3 obstructive episodes in their life plus chronic or recurrent wheeze in the 6 months before the start of the study. In the multicenter randomized trial we had (1) a waiting group (WG), (2) an instruction group (IG) trained in a structured way according to the national asthma guideline, and (3) an education group (EG), having a standardized multiprofessional psycho-educational program, according to the national licensed asthma education for the age group of 6–18 years. All were assessed after 6 months. A subgroup analysis was performed on those being on regular inhaled corticosteroids at study entry (74.3%). A total of 338 children were randomized, and 288 (85%) completed the study. In the asthma emergency management, test scores increased most in EG, less in IG, and not in WG. For emergency visits the risk ratio for EG was 0.68 compared to IG: Patients regularly inhaling corticosteroids (74.3%) had an increased risk for emergency visits when having only an instruction (OR 3.99 [1.89–8.40]) or had been waiting (OR 2.5 [1.16–5.37]) when compared to those having an asthma education. We conclude that in the German health system, the family oriented psycho-educational program provided in a standardized manner by a multiprofessional team is effective also in the age group of 2–5 years. It should be made accessible to each asthmatic child.

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Acknowlegdement

The study was supported by Merck, Sharp and Dome (MSD) Germany, and sponsored by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Asthmaschulung im Kindes- und Jugendalter e.V., Osnabrück, Germany

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no financial relationship with the organizations that sponsored the research and no other conflict of interest.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Kinderhospital Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany

    R. Szczepanski

  2. Fachkliniken Wangen, Wangen, Germany

    R. Jaeschke & T. Spindler

  3. Clinical Trials Center, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    G. Ihorst

  4. Kinderabteilung St. Hedwig, St. Josefskrankenhaus, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    J. Forster

Authors
  1. R. Szczepanski
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  2. R. Jaeschke
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  3. T. Spindler
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  4. G. Ihorst
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  5. J. Forster
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Consortia

the ASEV study group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Forster.

Appendix

Appendix

Asthmaschulungen für Eltern von Vorschulkindern

The ASEV Study group

Table 8
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Szczepanski, R., Jaeschke, R., Spindler, T. et al. Preschoolers' and parents' asthma education trial (P2AET)—a randomized controlled study. Eur J Pediatr 169, 1051–1060 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-010-1173-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-010-1173-z

Keywords

  • Toddlers
  • Children
  • Family oriented
  • Asthma education
  • Multiprofessional