Abstract
Objective: The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and consistence of an objective tool in assisting primary care decision making in children with asthma-like symptoms. Secondary objective was to collect data on prevalence of asthma-like symptoms in preschoolers.
Methods: Cross-sectional pilot study, using a structured questionnaire with close-ended questions, administered in 15 sites (GP's practices), chronologically, to all preschoolers with current episodes of acute respiratory infections meeting the inclusion criteria. The sites were randomly selected from the database of a Regional Centre for Children with Asthma. Data were collected in frequency tables and were analysed using multivariable linear statistics.
Results: 754 questionnaires were administered/ collected, and 719 (95,35%) were validated. The analysis included two age groups: ≤ 2 years (n = 247;100 girls) and 2-5 years-old (n = 472;232 girls). During last 6 months, the overall prevalence of symptoms was 47,3% for wheezing, 70,8% for cough and 37,8% for difficult breathing. A final open-ended evaluation of the procedures applied was completed by each investigator, and the overall appreciation was that it was not time-consuming, fitted well within their routine of this patient group visits, and was acceptable to parents/caregivers.
Conclusions: The analysis of data collected during this pilot study yielded consistent results, representing actually the unspecific burden of asthma-like symptoms upon which doctors decide to administrate the treatment and advocate the feasibility of a larger study to obtain epidemiologic data to support the implementation of a unitary approach/methodology in allocating resources by Romanian healthcare institutions/HMOs.
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Investigators: Afremie L, Cherata D, Coanda A, Costea LS, Delureanu R, Ghijura M, Ionescu CM, Iovanel C, Nastasie M, Nicolae LD, Oprea SE, Patru V, Prajea M, Serbanescu FO, Staicu DA
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Gheonea, C., Plesca, D., Dumitrescu, L. et al. 1208 Pilot Study on Assisting Primary Care Decision Making in Preschoolers with Asthma-Like Symptoms (PALS-PC Study). Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 598–599 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01208
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-01208