TY - JOUR T1 - eHealth self-management support after high-altitude climate treatment (HACT) of severe asthma: a randomised controlled trial JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2019.PA2230 VL - 54 IS - suppl 63 SP - PA2230 AU - Lucia H. Rijssenbeek-Nouwens AU - Thijs Beerthuizen AU - Jiska B. Snoeck-Stroband AU - Jacob K. Sont Y1 - 2019/09/28 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/54/suppl_63/PA2230.abstract N2 - Background: In severe asthma, it has been shown that HACT improves asthma control. However, asthma may worsen after finishing HACT and returning to sea level. We assessed the effectiveness of patient tailored eHealth self-management support in addition to standard care after discharge from HACT.Methods: In a RCT with 1-year follow-up 62 asthmatic adults were randomised to receive either eHealth self-management support (PatientCoach) in addition to standard care (N=33), or standard care only (N=29) after discharge from a 12-week multi-disciplinary rehabilitation program at a high-altitude asthma centre. Endpoints were changes in asthma-related quality of life (QoL: AQLQ, the higher the better) and asthma control (ACQ, the lower the better), both with a minimally important difference of 0.5 points.Results: Asthma-related QoL and asthma control gradually declined over time in the standard care group, whereas there was less decline in the eHealth group. In both endpoints, mixed-model analysis showed a positive effect in favour of eHealth during follow-up (AQLQ difference 0.39 (0.092 to 0.69); P = .01; ACQ difference -0.50 (-0.86 to -0.15); P = .006), which was especially found in patients with uncontrolled asthma at discharge (AQLQ difference 0.59 (0.19 to 0.99); P = .003; ACQ difference -0.73 (-1.18 to -0.28), P = .002).Conclusion: eHealth self-management support was associated with a smaller gradual decline in QoL and asthma control, especially in patients with suboptimal asthma control after discharge from HACT. eHealth support of adults with severe asthma after discharge from HACT seems feasible and effective to maintain quality of life and asthma control.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA2230.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -