AzTrials
AzTrials

Uncontrolled AsthmaNCT02768623

Evaluation of a Community Pharmacist Managed Asthma Consultation Service

A study testing Pharmacist led Asthma Management and Pharmacist Intervention (when requested by patient) in people with Uncontrolled Asthma, run by Zahava Rosenberg-Yunger.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Asthma is one of the most common chronic health conditions, affecting 900,000 Ontarians, 2.4 million Canadians and over 300 million people worldwide. Unlike most other chronic diseases, asthma affects a significant proportion of children - an estimated 21% in Ontario. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Uncontrolled Asthma
What is being tested?
Pharmacist led Asthma Management and Pharmacist Intervention (when requested by patient)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
19 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
1 Jun 2016to 16 Apr 2018
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Provided written consent
  • Intending to refill all asthma-related prescriptions at the study pharmacy
  • Diagnosed with asthma by a physician or nurse practitioner
  • Taking inhaled corticosteroids for which the dose and/or medication has remained unchanged for at least 2 months
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Uncontrolled asthma (defined as in the past 4 weeks the patient has used their rescue medications 4 or more times in a given week and/or the patient has woken up in the night from their asthma in a given week).

Who cannot join

  • Pregnant women
  • Unable or unwilling to return to the pharmacy for scheduled visits
  • Unable to speak English language well enough to communicate with the pharmacist and complete the questionnaires independently
  • Terminal illness or poor prognosis (life expectancy less than 3 years)
  • History of alcoholism or drug abuse
  • Comorbidities/health issues:
Show all 17Show fewer
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (emphysema; chronic bronchitis)
  • Acute respiratory infection
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Cancer (in the past 5 years preceding enrolment)
  • Organ transplantation
  • Dementia, cognitive impairment or other psychiatric disorder (Cognitive Impairments such as those found under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) common Axis I and Axis II disorders
  • Any other health issue that may hinder performance on pulmonary function test
  • Enrolled in an Employee Assistance Program for disease management within 6 months preceding the study enrolment date OR planning to enroll in the next 12 months
  • Enrolled in another asthma management/clinical study OR planning to enroll in a similar study in the next 12 months
  • Had a MedsCheck or MedsCheck Follow-Up done within the 3-month period preceding the anticipated date of the first study appointment
  • Patients who do not wish their physician to be notified of their participation

About this study

Asthma is one of the most common chronic health conditions, affecting 900,000 Ontarians, 2.4 million Canadians and over 300 million people worldwide. Unlike most other chronic diseases, asthma affects a significant proportion of children - an estimated 21% in Ontario. Asthma is also the leading cause of hospitalization for children in Canada and is a significant cause of school and work absenteeism. Though asthma is generally considered a chronic disease, it can be fatal in some instances - in 2009, an estimated 91 Ontarians died of this condition. Effective management of asthma can prevent exacerbation and more severe negative health consequences. In fact, estimates show that over 80% of the asthma-related deaths could be prevented through proper education. However, evidence also shows that over 55% of patients with moderate to severe asthma do not have their asthma symptoms under control, despite regular doctor visits. Less than a third (31%) of asthma patients report receiving an asthma action plan from their physicians, although such plans are associated with fewer ER visits, lower hospitalization rates and improved lung function. Hence, there is a clear opportunity to improve the management of asthma and reduce the incidence of related complications.

Given the scientific evidence of pharmacists effect on asthma management there is a strong rationale for introducing an asthma-specific pharmacist-led intervention for Ontarians suffering from this chronic disease. However, the implementation of such a program should be preceded by a pilot test to ensure that the program parameters are optimized to drive improved patient outcomes and maximum quality of service. The primary goals of this research project are to examine the impact of a pharmacist led asthma management intervention on patient health outcomes and to determine the optimum program structure to ensure quality of service delivery.

This study employs a mixed-methods study design. Investigators will begin with a cluster randomized controlled trial and end with exit interviews.This study will consist of a prospective, randomized controlled trial conducted in the community setting. A total of 12 pharmacies across the Greater Toronto Region will be recruited for this study. Each of these pharmacies will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group or the control group. All data will be analyzed using statistical software. Significance level will be set at 0.05. Pharmacy level descriptive characteristics, including mean and standard deviation for the number of patients will be reported. There is a low perceived risk for this study; however, the investigators will take every precaution to ensure this study is conducted in an ethical manner, including protecting patient confidentiality and anonymity.

Being tested
Pharmacist led Asthma Management, Pharmacist Intervention (when requested by patient)

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Pharmacist led Asthma ManagementOther

    Also called Pharmacist Asthma Intervention

  • Pharmacist Intervention (when requested by patient)Other

Study groups in NCT02768623
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Control GroupActive comparatorPatients in the control group will receive standard, dispensing services they currently receive from pharmacists. Control group pharmacists will continue to provide these services in accordance with the standards of practice adopted by the Ontario College of Pharmacists. They will not provide either of the 3 intervention components outlined above. Should a control group patient request additional information and/or services, the pharmacist will comply and provide these as deemed necessary for the particular patient. This could include the full range of educational and drug therapy optimization services outlined for the intervention group. If this occurs then the pharmacists will document all services provided in order for the research team to account for this in the analysis.
Receives: Other: Pharmacist Intervention (when requested by patient)
Intervention GroupExperimentalPharmacists in the intervention group will provide patients with a comprehensive disease management program for asthma. The 3 major components of pharmacists' intervention are outlined below. The services delivered will be customized based on each patient's case. 1. Medication review and drug therapy optimization 2. Patient education 3. Improving patient adherence
Receives: Other: Pharmacist led Asthma Management

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEF)

    A peak flow meter will be used to measure PEF.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure peak flow rate incrementally each month for 12 months total.

Secondary outcomes (9)
  1. Peak Flow Diary

    The peak flow diary is a chart given to patients to assist in recording their peak flow measurement using the peak flow meter.

    Measured: Patients will measure their peak flow twice daily (morning and night) throughout the duration of the study (i.e., 12 months) with their peak flow meter. They will document their peak flow measurements in a diary.

  2. Asthma Control

    The Asthma Control Questionnaire will be used to measure Asthma Control.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure Asthma control twice throughout duration of study. First, it will be measured at baseline (month 1) and lastly it will be measured at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

  3. The Medication Adherence Report Scale for Asthma

    The Medication Adherence Report Scale for Asthma will be used to measure adherence to asthma medication.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure Medication Adherence twice throughout duration of study. First, it will be measured at baseline (month 1) and lastly it will be measured at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

  4. Health Care Service Usage Questionnaire

    The Health Care Service Usage Questionnaire will be used to measure a patient's utilization of health care services.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure Health Care Service Usage twice throughout duration of study. First, it will be measured at baseline (month 1) and lastly it will be measured at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

  5. Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ)

    The AQLQ will be used to measure patient's quality of life.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure Asthma related quality of life twice throughout duration of study. First, it will be measured at baseline (month 1) and lastly it will be measured at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

  6. Heath and Work Performance Questionnaire

    The Heath and Work Performance Questionnaire will be used to measure patient's presenteeism and absenteeism due to asthma.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure health and work performance twice throughout duration of study. First, it will be measured at baseline (month 1) and lastly it will be measured at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

  7. Asthma Self-Management Questionnaire

    The Asthma Self-Management Questionnaire will be used to assess the patient's asthma management techniques.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure Asthma self-management twice throughout duration of study. First, it will be measured at baseline (month 1) and lastly it will be measured at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

  8. Asthma General Knowledge Questionnaire for Adults

    The Asthma General Knowledge Questionnaire for Adult will be used to assess patient's asthma knowledge.

    Measured: Pharmacist will measure Asthma general knowledge twice throughout duration of study. First, it will be measured at baseline (month 1) and lastly it will be measured at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

  9. Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire

    The Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire will be used to assess patients' satisfaction with the services they received over the study duration.

    Measured: The pharmacist will distribute this questionnaire to patients at the final appointment (12 months after baseline).

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted11 May 2016 (estimated)
  2. Study start1 Jun 2016
  3. Primary completion16 Apr 2018
  4. Study completion16 Apr 2018

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Health services research
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
19 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02768623
Sponsor's protocol ID
RyersonU1
Status last verified
Aug 2018
First submitted
8 Mar 2016
Last updated
28 Aug 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Pharmacist led Asthma Management and Pharmacist Intervention (when requested by patient) in people with Uncontrolled Asthma, run by Zahava Rosenberg-Yunger.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 17 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Aug 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEF) (time frame: Pharmacist will measure peak flow rate incrementally each month for 12 months total.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Aug 2018.

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