Characteristics of the study groups and their inpatient asthma care
| Intervention group (n = 80) | Control group (n = 80) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sex (male:female) | 50:30 | 48:32 |
| Age | ||
| 2–5 years | 51 (64) | 49 (61) |
| 6–10 years | 14 (17) | 18 (22) |
| 11–16 years | 15 (19) | 13 (17) |
| Median age in years (range) | 5.9 (2–16) | 5.6 (2–15) |
| Current admission | ||
| Median length of stay in days (range) | 2 (1–5) | 2 (1–7) |
| Nebulised bronchodilators | 80 (100) | 78 (98) |
| Oral steroids | 77 (97) | 79 (99) |
| Intravenous aminophylline | 5 (6) | 6 (8) |
| Peak flow recording aged 6–16 years | 22 (75) | 25 (80) |
| Previous admission at any time | 34 (43) | 40 (50) |
| Previous admission in last six months | 16 (20) | 19 (24) |
| Previous attendance at A&E department | 18 (23) | 15 (19) |
| Consultations with GP for respiratory illness in previous six months (range) | 3 (0–7) | 3 (0–6) |
Values are n (%) unless otherwise stated.