The Effectiveness of Telemedicine Consultation in Improving Outcomes of Asthma in the Paediatric Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Abstract Telemedicine facilitates clinicians in providing virtual consultations and assessments to paediatric patients, offering a more convenient and efficient healthcare delivery. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of telemedicine compared with usual care in paediatric asthma. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Ovid SP. Risk ratios (RRs) were used for dichotomous outcomes, and standardised mean differences (SMDs) were used for continuous outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 10 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The telemedicine group had more asthma symptom-free days compared with the usual care group with an SMD of 0.18 (95% CI = 0.04–0.32). The telemedicine group had a higher rate of well-controlled asthma in telemedicine compared with the usual care group with an RR of 1.27 (95% CI = 1.14–1.42). The present findings suggest that telemedicine may be an effective alternative to in-person visits for improving asthma control.