Effect of point application therapy for bronchial asthma: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Allergy and Immunology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Chronic respiratory diseases like bronchial asthma significantly impact patient quality of life.
• Asthma exacerbations represent a major burden on healthcare systems and patients.
• Effective management strategies for asthma exacerbations are continuously sought.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of point application therapy (PAT) in reducing asthma exacerbations.
• To assess the impact of PAT on lung function parameters and symptom control in asthma patients.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 835 bronchial asthma patients.
• Patients received either regular or placebo PAT during summer dog days over two consecutive years.
• Primary outcome: change in asthma exacerbations from baseline at 24 months; secondary outcomes included lung function tests and medication use.

Main Results:

• PAT significantly decreased the mean number of asthma exacerbations compared to placebo (P < 0.001).
• PAT improved FEV1%pred at 24 months (P = 0.039) and FEV1/FVC at 12 and 24 months (P = 0.01).
• No significant differences were observed in PEF or ACT scores; mild, treatment-related adverse events were more frequent in the PAT group.

Conclusions:

• Point application therapy administered during summer dog days is effective in reducing asthma exacerbations.
• PAT demonstrates potential as a therapeutic intervention for managing bronchial asthma.
• Further research may explore long-term effects and optimal application protocols for PAT.