In a recent systematic review and network meta-analysis published in “The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology”, researcher Teerapon Dhippayom has shed light on the effectiveness of various self-management strategies for patients dealing with asthma. The study's findings underline the importance of tailoring these strategies to specific patient outcomes. The realm of asthma self-management has lacked clarity on the most effective composite features to be incorporated into practice.

This study seeks to fill this gap by examining the efficacy of diverse self-management support strategies.  Dhippayom's research aimed to assess the impact of distinct self-management strategies, aligned with a newly devised framework, in individuals diagnosed with asthma. The investigation delved into a comprehensive search of medical databases including PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and PsycInfo. The emphasis was on randomized controlled trials that scrutinized the consequences of self-management support strategies in adults grappling with asthma.

The study employed network meta-analyses, utilizing a random effects model with conventional care as the common benchmark. To rank different support strategies, the team employed SUCRA i.e. Surface under the Cumulative Ranking Curve approach. The study incorporated data from 35 trials, encompassing 5195 patients. A novel Theme, Intensity, and Provider/Platform (TIP) framework was established for classifying the included trials. Six distinct features emerged from these trials, each encapsulated by an element of the TIP framework:

1. Behavioral assistance over once monthly by e-Health
2. Behavioral assistance over once monthly by health care professional (HCP)
3. Behavioral assistance less than or equal to once monthly by HCP
4. Education assistance less than or equal to once monthly via e-Health
5. Education assistance less than or equal to once monthly by HCP
6. Psychosocial assistance less than or equal to once monthly by HCP

Surprisingly, behavioral support over once a month via e-Health demonstrated significant improvements in asthma control compared to the other support strategies. Notably, it claimed the highest SUCRA at an impressive 97.6%.

On the other hand, the SUCRA ranking for behavioral assistance less than or equal to once monthly by HCP hinted at its potential as the most effective intervention in curbing hospitalization risk (89.1%) and reducing emergency department visits (84.2%).

This study underscores the nuanced nature of asthma self-management support strategies, with their effectiveness varying based on distinct outcomes. These findings could possibly open prospects towards more personalized and effective asthma management strategies.