Pediatric Asthma Control Under Community Management Model in China

Subjects diagnosed as pediatric asthma at Shanghai Children's Medical Center will be consecutively screened and eligible patients will be recruited. For each enrolled patient, basic information as well as baseline medical condition will be collected by the investigators. Asthma medicine will be prescribed by the investigator according to patient's asthma severity and control status. The subject will be assigned to the nearest community hospital or Shanghai Children's Medical Center, whichever is nearer to the subject's home, for their future onsite visits. The patient's caregiver will be instructed to install the study-specified application program (APP) at their smart phone and learn how to use this APP. During the study, patients will receive 12 months standard treatment, prescribed by the investigators according to "Guideline for the diagnosis and optimal management of asthma in children". The patients' caregiver will be prompted to fill out an asthma control questionnaire and asthma control test via their smart phone APP every month. Patients will be requested to visit prearranged community hospitals at month 1, 3, 6, 9 and arrange their last visit back to Shanghai Children's Medical Center at month 12. During each onsite visit, asthma-related information will be collected by the investigators. Meanwhile, subjects will receive PEF (\>5 years old) and FENO tests for evaluation of lung function and inflammation level. After comprehensive assessment of the patient's symptom control, risk factors, occurrence of exacerbations, and practical issues (cost, ability to use the device, and adherence), the investigator will make the decision on whether stepping up or stepping down asthma treatment. This study ends up without follow-up.