Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30679295›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open2019

Determinants of inter-practice variation in childhood asthma and respiratory infections: cross-sectional study of a national sentinel network.

Uy Hoang, Harshana Liyanage, Rachel Coyle, Charles Godden, Simon Jones, Mitch Blair, Michael Rigby, Simon de Lusignan

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Uy HoangDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Harshana LiyanageDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Rachel CoyleDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Charles GoddenSt Mary's Hospital, Isle of Wight, UK.
Simon JonesDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Mitch BlairDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, UK.
Michael RigbySection of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Hospital, London, UK.
Simon de LusignanDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesRespiratory infections are associated with acute exacerbations of asthma and accompanying morbidity and mortality. In this study we explore inter-practice variations in respiratory infections in children with asthma and study the effect of practice-level factors on these variations.

designCross-sectional study.

settingWe analysed data from 164 general practices in the Royal College of General PractitionersResearch and Surveillance Centresentinel network in England.

participantsChildren 5-12 years.

interventionsNone. In this observational study, we used regression analysis to explore the impact of practice-level determinants on the number of respiratory infections in children with asthma. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: We describe the distribution of childhood asthma and the determinants of upper/lower respiratory tract infections in these children.

results83.5% (137/164) practices were in urban locations; the mean number of general practitioners per practice was 7; and the mean duration since qualification 19.7 years. We found almost 10-fold difference in the rate of asthma (1.5-11.8 per 100 children) and 50-fold variation in respiratory infection rates between practices. Larger practices with larger lists of asthmatic children had greater rates of respiratory infections among these children.

conclusionWe showed that structural/environmental variables are consistent predictors of a range of respiratory infections among children with asthma. However, contradictory results between measures of practice clinical care show that a purely structural explanation for variability in respiratory infections is limited. Further research is needed to understand how the practice factors influence individual risk behaviours relevant to respiratory infections.

Indexed as

General PracticeAsthmaBronchiolitisBronchitisChildChild, PreschoolCommon ColdCross-Sectional StudiesEnglandFemaleHumansMalePharyngitisPneumoniaRespiratory Tract InfectionsScarlet Feverasthmaclinical practice variationscomputerizedgeneral practicemedical record systems

Identifiers

PMID30679295
PMCPMC6347957

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.