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Upgrading home heating systems improved subjective symptoms in children with asthma

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.12.2.42

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    P Howden-Chapman

    Prof P Howden-Chapman, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand; philippa.howden-chapman@otago.ac.nz

    QUESTION

    Does upgrading home heating systems improve the health of children with asthma?

    METHODS

    Design:

    randomised controlled trial. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00489762

    Allocation:

    concealed.

    Blinding:

    unblinded.

    Follow-up period:

    baseline measures taken during winter 2005 and follow-up measures taken during winter 2006.

    Setting:

    households in 5 communities in New Zealand.

    Patients:

    409 children 6–12 years of age who had physician diagnosed asthma that was symptomatic in the previous year and slept ⩾4 nights/week in a house with a less effective form of heating (unflued gas or plug-in electric heaters).

    Intervention:

    installation of a non-polluting, more effective replacement heater (heat pump, wood pellet burner, or flued gas) before winter 2006 (n = 200) or maintenance of the old heating system for another winter (n = 209) (this group received new heaters after completion of the trial). Houses in both groups were insulated to …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: Health Research Council of New Zealand; Contact Energy; Ministry for the Environment; Hutt Valley district health board; Capital and Coast district health board; Housing New Zealand; Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority; LPG Association.