A study published February 27, 2013 in PLOS ONE found that patients using the Asthmapolis remote inhaler monitoring system who received weekly email reports on their inhaler usage experienced significant reduction in symptoms and reported improved control. At the end of the study 75% of participants had achieved control of their asthma as measured by the the Asthma Control Test (ACT) compared to 38% at the beginning of the study. Asthmapolis CEO David Van Sickle is the lead author on the report of the open-group four-month pilot study involving 30 asthma patients.
The study participants filled out the ACT survey to assess control of their asthma; after the first month, they began to receive weekly emails with data on their inhaler use for the prior week and asthma management suggestions based on National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines. During the first month, participants reported no significant changes in control. After the emails began, mean ACT scores were up by 1.4 points for each subsequent month.
Van Sickle commented, “Today, many patients have inappropriately low expectations for their own disease control or are unaware that more can be done to prevent attacks and day-to-day symptoms. Others fail to voice concerns or to report troublesome symptoms. This study has demonstrated that simple interventions that use objectively collected data from daily life can make self-management more compelling, play a valuable role in developing and reinforcing better habits and provide patients with valuable information to help guide management and achieve control of their disease.”
Read the Asthmapolis press release.
Read the study.
