Pediatric asthma care is critical to managing this chronic condition, which causes inflammation and swelling of the airways and narrows the large and small airways that carry air from the nose and mouth to the lungs. Over 22 million U.S. adults ages 18 and older have asthma, while about 4.5 million children under the age of 18 live with asthma.
This week’s study summary provides an overview of remote patient monitoring technologies for managing pediatric asthma outside clinical settings. The article discusses patient, caregiver, and healthcare professional feedback on using telemonitoring for asthma management. It also covers the overall understanding of how these technologies can impact clinical outcomes such as healthcare utilization and quality of life for pediatric asthma patients.
Remote Patient Monitoring for Pediatric Asthma Care
Recurrent wheezing is a common manifestation of asthma in younger children. Pediatric asthma care management involves routine outpatient clinic visits, but the episodic nature of the condition makes it challenging to address exacerbations and adjust medication promptly. Asthma remote patient monitoring, or telemonitoring, allows patients and caregivers to track and monitor changes in airflow with devices such as a remote peak flow meter and automatically share that data with their physicians outside of a clinical setting.
Telemonitoring has shown potential in managing chronic conditions in adults, and there is growing interest in leveraging these technologies for pediatric asthma. A systematic review published in Pediatric Pulmonology provides an overview of telemonitoring technologies used for pediatric asthma care in outpatient settings. The researchers included 40 articles describing 40 different telemonitoring technologies for monitoring asthma in children outside clinical settings.
Technology Evolution and Age-Based Gaps
Researchers found that studies before 2015 relied on home devices and peripheral equipment for pediatric asthma care, while recent technologies have shifted towards user-friendly mobile apps and web-based systems. Most technologies in the analysis were directed toward school-age children and adolescents. Very few telemonitoring systems and validated digital patient-reported outcomes were designed specifically for preschool-aged children, representing a critical gap.
Many studies have shown that patients and caregivers are often provided with little training and education on the use of telemonitoring technology, which can impact measurement and treatment adherence. In addition, ongoing technical support was rarely mentioned despite being crucial for successful adoption. Researchers suggest involving users in co-designing child—and family-friendly interfaces is an important opportunity.
Patient and Healthcare Professional Feedback
Studies showed that many technologies offer features that can promote patient engagement and a better understanding of asthma, such as automatic displays and treatment feedback on asthma control levels and treatment recommendations. While empowering patients, these features can also help reduce burdens on healthcare resources.
Balancing provider accessibility with potential workload burdens remains a challenge. However, several studies explored the use of healthcare provider dashboards for remote patient data monitoring, which are increasingly used for care coordination, prevention, and timely intervention. Additionally, dashboards can facilitate and improve direct communication between caregivers and their healthcare team. Engaging through digital technology for pediatric asthma care allows healthcare teams to determine when patients can be managed remotely or if an in-person visit is needed.
Understanding Pediatric Asthma Care and Remote Patient Monitoring
Most studies demonstrated the positive impacts of telemonitoring in pediatric asthma care on clinical outcomes like healthcare utilization and quality of life. This review highlights key trends, challenges, and opportunities in developing practical, user-friendly, and clinically robust telemonitoring solutions for pediatric asthma management. Addressing identified gaps, particularly for the preschool population and training on devices, could drive more meaningful understanding, use of devices, and engagement in remote patient monitoring for asthma care management.
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