A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Air Quality Mobile Application Alert System to Improve Asthma Control in Malaysia
27 Mar 2025
Introduction: Poor air quality exacerbates asthma symptoms, making effective interventions crucial. Early warnings of poor air quality can help patients with asthma take necessary precautions. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial evaluating a mobile health app providing high-resolution air quality forecasts to support asthma self-management.
Methods: Adult patients with asthma were recruited from a public health clinic in Klang, Malaysia, and randomised into either the intervention group (using the Air Quality app) or the control group (usual care), with 30 patients in each group. The primary endpoint is asthma control, measured using the GINA Asthma Symptoms Control tool at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Secondary endpoints include clinical outcomes (exacerbations, emergency visits, asthma action plan usage, medication usage, peak flow rate) and system-related outcomes (utility, usability, drop-out rate).
Results: Recruitment and baseline data collection are ongoing, with 38 patients recruited so far (19 in each group). 10 recruitment failures occurred due to various issues (busy schedule, change of residence, health and transport problems). Challenges include app incompatibility (only for Android phones) and patient availability for follow-up. 10 patients completed the 1-month follow-up (intervention: 6, control: 4). No drop-outs or significant differences in asthma control between groups have been observed (X2 = 3.75; p = 0.15). The app's utility is limited.
Discussion: This pilot study will provide insights into the feasibility and implementation of a mobile-based air quality alert system to enhance asthma management in Malaysia. Lessons learned from this pilot will guide the refinement and scaling of the intervention to a full-scale RCT.
Resource information
Respiratory conditions
- Asthma
Type of resource
Abstract Conference
Brasov 2025