Development and implementation in outpatient practice of an electronic computer program “Diagnostics of bronchial asthma in children”

Abstract

Background. Currently, the criteria for the differential diagnosis of bronchial asthma and a number of respiratory diseases in children, accompanied by bronchial obstruction syndrome, remain insufficiently effective. At the same time, timely administration of anti-inflammatory therapy is important.Aim: Development and introduction into the practice of outpatient medical organizations of a computer program for the timely diagnosis of asthma in children and the appointment of basic therapy.Materials and methods. A comparative comprehensive analysis of risk factors for the formation of the disease was carried out in 170 children with bronchial asthma and 170 clinically healthy children who had episodes of bronchial obstruction at an early age. The program was tested in the observation of 72 children with episodes of bronchial obstruction.Three years after the introduction of the program into practice, an analysis was made of the diagnosis of bronchial asthma in 92 children.Results. 62 most significant signs (predictors of the disease) were established, which formed the basis of the developed computer program "Diagnostics of bronchial asthma in children". Approbation of the program in clinical conditions showed a high consistency of the result with the conclusion of an allergist-immunologist. Statistical analysis showed that the sensitivity of the method was 88.2%, the specificity was 94.1% (p0.05). The program was introduced into the practice of outpatient medical organizations.Three years after the introduction of the program into the practice of outpatient institutions, the number of patients diagnosed with asthma during the year increased by 3 times.Conclusion. The data obtained determine the possibility of using the proposed computer program as a tool for the timely diagnosis of BA in children.