Predicting asthma control: the role of psychological triggers.

Asthma triggers have been linked to adverse health outcomes in asthma, but little is known about their association with asthma control. Because trigger avoidance is an integral part of successful asthma management, psychological triggers in particular may be associated with suboptimal asthma control, given the difficulty of controlling them. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of perceived asthma triggers with self-report of asthma control impairment, symptoms, and spirometric lung function (forced expiratory volume in the 1st second, [FEV1]) in 179 adult primary care asthma patients.

Nurse practitioner management of acute in-hours home visit or assessment requests: a pilot study.

Background: GPs often perceive home-visit requests as a time-consuming aspect of general practice. The new general medical services contract provides for practices to be relieved of responsibility for home-visits, although there is no model for the transfer of care. One such model could be to employ nurse practitioners to manage such requests.

Psychological triggers and hyperventilation symptoms in asthma.

Background: Anecdotal accounts have identified hyperventilation as one route through which psychological factors can trigger bronchoconstriction. However, little is known about the empirical association between psychological and other trigger factors and hyperventilation in asthma exacerbations.

Objective: To study the cross-sectional association between perceived triggers and hyperventilation symptoms in 1 British and 1 German sample of patients with asthma who were recruited from the community and from primary care clinics.

Hyperventilation symptoms are linked to a lower perceived health in asthma patients.

Background: Hyperventilation symptoms are among the sensations asthma patients tend to report during exacerbations of their disease. However, little is known about their importance for the patients' perceived well-being.

Method: We therefore studied the association of reported hyperventilation symptoms (Asthma Symptom Checklist) with perceived physical and mental health (36-item Short-form Health Survey) in a sample of primary care asthma patients (N = 190).

The asthma trigger inventory: validation of a questionnaire for perceived triggers of asthma.

Background: Asthma patients' perceptions of triggers have been explored in a largely unstructured fashion in the past. We therefore developed and validated a questionnaire of commonly perceived asthma triggers.

Methods: Two hundred forty-seven primary care patients with asthma filled in an asthma trigger survey together with questionnaires on demographics, asthma-relevant information, perceived control of asthma, and general health status.

Do asthma patients in general practice profit from a structured allergy evaluation and skin testing? A pilot study.

Background: Although allergy is central to the pathophysiology of asthma, little is known about the benefits of a structured approach to allergen diagnosis and management in primary care asthma patients.

Objectives: We studied effects of a structured allergen evaluation and allergen avoidance advice combined with or without additional allergy skin testing on health status, illness perception, and lung function of asthma patients treated in general practice.

Method: Fifty-four asthma patients were randomly assigned to three groups: (i) Standard asthma care with information on the stepwise treatment approach, a written action plan, and inhaler technique training; (ii) Additional structured allergen evaluation and avoidance advice; (iii) Additional structured allergen evaluation and avoidance advice based on skin prick test results.