Effects of Family-Supported Healthcare on Children with Asthma.

INTRODUCTION

Healthcare is essential for asthma control, however, whether family-supported healthcare improves therapeutic effects in childhood asthma remains unclear.

METHODS

The enrolled patients were randomly divided into control and intervention groups. The pulmonary function was evaluated by forced expiratory volume in 1 s as a percentage of forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Asthma control and life quality were assessed via a childhood asthma control test and pediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire. Inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

No significant differences existed in the basic characteristics of asthma children and their parents among two groups. The increase of FEV1/FVC was higher in the intervention group versus the control group (76.47 ± 10.76% vs 69.76 ± 8.88%, = 0.001 at the time of post-intervention), and the decrease of FeNO was greater in the intervention group (30.43 ± 6.85 bbp vs 35.64 ± 6.62 bbp, = 0.003 at the time of post-intervention). Family-supported healthcare highly improved asthma control and quality of life in childhood asthma post-treatment. Meanwhile, the inflammatory cytokines IL-17 (118.14 ± 25.79 pg/mL in intervention group vs 142.86 ± 28.68 pg/mL in control group, = 0.004 at the time of post-intervention) and IL-6 (103.76 ± 23.11 pg/mL in intervention group vs 119.73 ± 22.68 pg/mL in control group, = 0.009 at the time of post-intervention) significantly decreased by family-supported healthcare intervention. Importantly, acute exacerbation (80.8% in intervention group vs 95.7% in control group, = 0.030) and rehospitalization cases (88.5% in intervention group vs 100% in control group, = 0.028) also decreased by family-supported healthcare intervention.

DISCUSSION

Family-supported healthcare improves pulmonary function and quality of life while alleviates inflammation, acute exacerbation, and rehospitalization in childhood asthma post-routine treatment.