The effects of telemedicine on asthma control and patients' quality of life in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Background Telemedicine is increasingly used to improve health outcomes in asthma. However, it is still inconclusive which telemedicine works effectively.Objective This study aimed to determine the effects of telemedicine on asthma control and the quality of life in adults.Methods An electronic search was performed from the inception to March 2018 on the following databases: Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, EMBASE, PubMed, and Scopus. Randomized controlled trials that assessed the effects of telemedicine in adults with asthma were included in this analysis, and the outcomes of interest were levels of asthma control and quality of life. Random-effects model meta-analyses were performed.Results A total of 22 studies (10,281 participants) were included. Each of 11 studies investigated the effects of single-telemedicine and combined-telemedicine (combinations of telemedicine approaches), and the meta-analyses showed that combined tele-case management could significantly improve asthma control compared with usual care (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56, 1.01). Combined tele-case management and tele-consultation (SMD = 0.52 [95% CI: 0.13, 0.91]) and combined tele-consultation (SMD = 0.28 [95% CI: 0.13, 0.44]) also significantly improved asthma outcomes, but to a lesser degree. In addition, combined tele-case management (SMD = 0.59 [95% CI: 0.31, 0.88]) was the most effective telemedicine for improving quality of life, followed by combined tele-case management and tele-consultation (SMD = 0.31 [95% CI: 0.03, 0.59]), tele-case management (SMD = 0.30 [95% CI: 0.05, 0.55]), and combined tele-consultation (SMD = 0.27 [95% CI: 0.11, 0.43]), respectively.Conclusions Combined-telemedicine involving tele-case management or tele-consultation appear to be effective telemedicine interventions to improve asthma control and quality of life in adults. Our findings are expected to provide health care professionals with current evidence of the effects of telemedicine on asthma control and patients' quality of life.
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Almost all primary studies of video versus face-to-face appointments were underpowered and had highly-selected samples.
“almost all primary studies were underpowered and had highly-selected samples”
From Planning and Evaluating Remote Consultation Services: A New Conceptual Framework Incorporating Complexity and Practical Ethics (2021) · cites this paper as [109]
Patients randomized to video did no worse clinically and were no less satisfied than those randomized to usual care, and costs where measured were similar.
“Overall, patients randomized to video did no worse clinically and were no less satisfied than those randomized to usual care, and that costs (where measured) were similar”
From Planning and Evaluating Remote Consultation Services: A New Conceptual Framework Incorporating Complexity and Practical Ethics (2021) · cites this paper as [109]
Dozens of randomized controlled trials have compared video with face-to-face appointments in low-risk patients with stable long-term conditions.
“there have been dozens of randomized controlled trials comparing video with face to face appointments in low-risk patients with stable long-term conditions (109–114)”
From Planning and Evaluating Remote Consultation Services: A New Conceptual Framework Incorporating Complexity and Practical Ethics (2021) · cites this paper as [109]
None of the existing systematic reviews focused on the role of 2-way asynchronous communication between patients and health care professionals.
“However, none of these reviews focused on the role of 2-way asynchronous communication between patients and health care professionals.”
From Effectiveness and Acceptability of Asynchronous Digital Health in Asthma Care: Mixed Methods Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [17]
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- Authors
- Chongmelaxme, B., Lee, S., Dhippayom, T., Saokaew, S., Chaiyakunapruk, N., & Dilokthornsakul, P.
- Affiliations
- Naresuan University (TH)
- Monash University Malaysia (MY)
- Corresponding author
- Dilokthornsakul, Piyameth
- ORCID
- Venue
- The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-01
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 199-216.e11
- ISSN
- 2213-2198 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2883527838
- Cited by
- 147
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 2.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Naresuan University
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Keywords
- telemedicine, asthma, asthma control, quality of life, teleconsultation, adults, remote patient monitoring, telehealth intervention, usual care comparison, models of care, health care costs, health care utilization, patient satisfaction, patient education, patient empowerment
- MeSH terms
- Asthma, Humans, Quality of Life, Telemedicine, Remote Consultation, Evidence-Based Practice
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