["Mummy, can I join a sports club?" a qualitative study on the impact of health-promoting schools on health behaviours in the home setting]

OBJECTIVE/DESIGN

Information regarding school-based health-promoting interventions' potential effects in the home environment is scarce. Gaining more insight into this is vital to optimise interventions' potential. The Healthy Primary School of the Future (HPSF) is a Dutch initiative aiming to improve children's health and well-being by providing daily physical activity sessions and healthy school lunches. This qualitative study examines if and how HPSF influenced children's and parents' physical activity and dietary behaviours at home.

METHOD

In 2018-2019, 27 semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents from two HPSF schools. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and data were coded and interpreted through thematic analysis.

RESULTS

HPSF resulted in various behavioural changes at home, initiated by both children and parents. Parents reported improvements in healthy behaviours, as well as compensatory, unhealthy behaviours. Reasons for behavioural change included increased awareness, perceived support to adopt healthy behaviours, and children asking for the same healthy products at home. Barriers to change included no perceived necessity for change, lack of HPSF-related information provision, and time and financial constraints.

CONCLUSION

Both child-to-adult intergenerational learning and parent-initiated changes play an important role in the transfer of health behaviours from school to home and are therefore key mechanisms to maximise school-based health-promoting interventions' impact.

Diagnostic assessments of spirometry and medical history data by respiratory specialists supporting primary care: are they reliable?

AIM

To determine the intra- and inter-observer reliability of respiratory specialists' diagnostic assessments of spirometry and written medical history data obtained from primary care.

METHOD

Five respiratory specialists assessed spirometry data and the history of 156 patients randomly selected from referrals to an asthma/COPD-service. The inter-observer reliability was evaluated. After six months, all specialists repeated the assessments and the intraobserver reliability was evaluated.

RESULTS

The diagnostic assessments for all patients had reasonable intra- and inter-observer reliability, resulting in a Cohen's kappa (kappa) of 0.67 and 0.66 respectively. The intra-observer reliability for assessing the need for additional diagnostic examinations had an average kappa 0.56 for new patients and an average kappa 0.39 for follow-up examinations. The assessments of clinical stability in follow-up patients--on which therapeutic advice was based--were inconsistent.

CONCLUSION

GPs who are reluctant to perform or interpret spirometry themselves may be supported diagnostically by respiratory specialists in an asthma/COPD-service. The reliability of this advice varies. More appropriate criteria for assessing clinical stability in patients with asthma and COPD are necessary to improve the reliability of the therapeutic advice.

House dust mite allergen avoidance and self-management in allergic patients with asthma: randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of bed covers that are impermeable to house dust mites has been disputed.

AIM

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the combination of 'house dust mite impermeable' covers and a self-management plan, based on peak flow values and symptoms, leads to reduced use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) than self-management alone.

DESIGN OF STUDY

Prospective, randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.

SETTING

Primary care in a south-eastern region of the Netherlands.

METHOD

Asthma patients aged between 16 and 60 years with a house dust mite allergy requiring ICS were randomised to intervention and placebo groups. They were trained to use a self-management plan based on peak flow and symptoms. After a 3-month training period, the intervention commenced using house dust mite impermeable and placebo bed covers. The follow-up period was 2 years. Primary outcome was the use of ICS; secondary outcomes were peak expiratory flow parameters, asthma control, and symptoms.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-six patients started the intervention with house dust mite impermeable or placebo bed covers. After 1 and 2 years, significant differences in allergen exposure were found between the intervention and control groups (P<0.001). No significant difference between the intervention and control groups was found in the dose of ICS (P = 0.08), morning peak flow (P = 0.52), peak flow variability (P = 0.36), dyspnoea (P = 0.46), wheezing (P = 0.77), or coughing (P = 0.41). There was no difference in asthma control between the intervention and control groups.

CONCLUSION

House dust mite impermeable bed covers combined with self-management do not lead to reduced use of ICS compared with self-management alone.

The effectiveness of a treatment protocol for male lower urinary tract symptoms in general practice: a practical randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Randomised controlled trials have shown the efficacy of several treatment modalities for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in selected populations. The effectiveness in daily practice has hardly been investigated, especially in primary care and is dependent on choices between all possible treatment options and best investigated in a comprehensive study, including all treatment modalities (watchful waiting, alpha-blockers, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, and surgery).

AIM

Assessment of the effectiveness of a comprehensive treatment protocol for LUTS in primary care.

DESIGN OF STUDY

Randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Fourteen general practices in the Netherlands.

METHOD

INTERVENTION

treatment protocol based on a formalised expert opinion. Control condition: usual care.

STUDY POPULATION

208 subjects with moderate to severe LUTS (IPSS > or =8, median = 13).

OUTCOME MEASURES

symptom severity (IPSS [International Prostate Symptom Score]), bother score (Dan-PSS [Danish Prostate Symptom Score]), and maximum urinary flow (Q(max)); incidence of acute urinary retention and urinary tract infections.

RESULTS

In the intervention group markedly more subjects used an alpha-blocker at end of follow-up than in the usual care group (24% versus 6%). No significant differences were found between intervention and control group in IPSS, Q(max) or Dan-PSS.

CONCLUSION

alpha-blockers and watchful waiting are the most frequent treatment modalities for LUTS in primary care. Our study showed no evidence that a protocol using well-defined indications for all possible treatment modalities based on a formalised expert opinion procedure has added value. Based on our results, we cannot recommend a broadening of the indication for alpha-blockers, which, however, seems to be the current trend.

Effective management of COPD in primary care - the role of long-acting beta agonist/inhaled corticosteroid combination therapy

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the internationally preferred term for chronic, progressive lung disorders which are characterised by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The symptoms of COPD - including breathlessness, cough, excessive sputum production and reduced muscle tone and muscle wasting - reflect the complex pathophysiology of the disease. In order to address these symptoms, treatment regimens should take into account the multiple components that contribute to COPD. Clinical evidence has emerged indicating that, especially in patients with severe COPD, long-acting beta(2)-agonists (LABAs) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) result in improvements in symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, and improve health-related quality of life. This review evaluates the clinical evidence for the potential of LABA/ICS treatment to address the symptoms of COPD and whether combination therapy of this nature adds significant benefit to patients.

Relationship between house dust mite (HDM) allergen exposure level and inhaled corticosteroid dosage in HDM-sensitive asthma patients on a self management program

AIM

To assess whether exposure to house dust mite (HDM) allergens hampers a tapering off of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dosage in HDM-sensitive asthma patients.

METHODS

Asthma patients sensitised to HDM allergens and using ICS were selected from general practices for this observational study. Dust samples from bed mattresses were taken to assess exposure ('no', 'low', 'intermediate' or 'high') to HDM allergens with a semi-quantitative test (Acarex). Patients were trained to use a self management plan to adjust the dose of ICS according to symptoms and peak flow. The observation period was three months.

RESULTS

Outcomes from 123 patients were analysed. Within the 'no' and 'low' HDM exposure groups the proportion of patients who increased the dosage of their ICS medication was significantly lower than the proportion who tapered off or remained on the same dose of ICS. The group with high exposure to HDM allergens had the highest proportion of patients who increased their dose of ICS (p = 0.055).

CONCLUSIONS

High exposure to HDM allergens seems to coincide with the use of higher dose ICS treatment in asthma patients sensitised to HDM allergens.

Effects of N-acetylcysteine on outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Bronchitis Randomized on NAC Cost-Utility Study, BRONCUS): a randomised placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Increased oxidative stress is important in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We postulated that treatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine would reduce the rate of lung-function decline, reduce yearly exacerbation rate, and improve outcomes.

METHODS

In a randomised placebo-controlled study in 50 centres, 523 patients with COPD were randomly assigned to 600 mg daily N-acetylcysteine or placebo. Patients were followed for 3 years. Primary outcomes were yearly reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and the number of exacerbations per year. Analysis was by intention to treat.

FINDINGS

The yearly rate of decline in FEV1 did not differ between patients assigned N-acetylcysteine and those assigned placebo (54 mL [SE 6] vs 47 mL [6]; difference in slope between groups 8 mL [9]; 95% CI -25 to 10). The number of exacerbations per year did not differ between groups (1.25 [SD 1.35] vs 1.29 [SD 1.46]; hazard ratio 0.99 [95% CI 0.89-1.10, p=0.85]). Subgroup analysis suggested that the exacerbation rate might be reduced with N acetylcysteine in patients not treated with inhaled corticosteroids and secondary analysis was suggestive of an effect on hyperinflation.

INTERPRETATION

N-acetylcysteine is ineffective at prevention of deterioration in lung function and prevention of exacerbations in patients with COPD.

Short-term effects of increased urine output on male bladder function and lower urinary tract symptoms

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether the human bladder can also adapt to an increased physiologic load, because bladder dysfunction is considered to be an important factor in the development of lower urinary tract symptoms. Animal studies have shown that bladder function can be improved by increasing the urine output.

METHODS

A total of 44 men between 55 and 75 years of age were asked to increase their daily fluid intake by 2 L for a 2-month period. The objective outcome measures were maximal urinary flow rate (Da Capo home uroflowmeter), maximal voided volume (frequency-volume chart), and average voided volume (frequency-volume chart). The International Prostate Symptom Score and global perceived benefit of the intervention were recorded to assess the subjective effects of the intervention.

RESULTS

The maximal flow rate increased by 13% (2.3 mL/s), the maximal voided volume increased by 23% (93.8 mL), and average voided volume increased by 25% (60.1 mL). Of the 44 participants, 56% reported an improvement in their lower urinary tract function, but the International Prostate Symptom Score increase was statistically significant at 1.2 point.

CONCLUSIONS

The human bladder seems able to adapt to an increased load. Future randomized effectiveness studies with longer follow-up should be done to determine the upper limit of objective bladder adaptation. In addition, future studies should address the long-term efficacy in the prevention of symptoms.