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 several respiratory diseases in children, accompanied by bronchial obstruction syndrome, remain insufficiently effective. Moreover, timely administration of anti-inflammatory therapy is important. AIM: To develop and introduce a computer program for the timely diagnosis of asthma in children and appointment of basic therapy into outpatient practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative comprehensive analysis of risk factors for disease development in 155 children with bronchial asthma and 155 clinically healthy children who suffered episodes of bronchial obstruction at an early age was conducted, and a computer program that allows timely diagnosis of asthma was developed. The program was tested during the observation of 68 children with episodes of bronchial obstruction. RESULTS: Sixty-two most significant signs (disease predictors) were established, which formed the basis of the computer program Diagnostics of bronchial asthma in children. The application of the program in clinical conditions showed a high consistency of the result with the conclusion of an allergist-immunologist. The sensitivity and specificity of the method were 88.2% and 94.1%, respectively (p 0.05). The program was introduced into outpatient practice. CONCLUSION: The data obtained determine the possibility of using the proposed computer program as a tool for the timely diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children.