Functional Medicine in Asthma (FAst) Study
Condition: Asthma
MeSH terms: Asthma
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This is a pilot, proof of concept, early stage study. The study goal is to determine whether
      the Functional Medicine approach to the treatment of moderate to severe persistent asthma
      enhances standard guideline-based care with respect to asthma outcomes.
    

Detailed description: 
      Functional Medicine is a holistic approach to treating chronic conditions by attempting to
      address the underlying causes of chronic disease states. The purpose is to address the whole
      person, not just a set of symptoms. The patient care involves evaluating the interactions
      among genetic, in-utero, and lifetime environmental exposures. In addition, Functional
      Medicine specialists also aggressively address lifestyle factors such as nutrition and
      exercise that influence long-term health and chronic diseases. By doing so, the intention is
      to reduce ongoing biologic imbalances from deficiencies in dietary oxidants/antioxidants via
      vitamin supplementation, hormonal imbalances through evaluation and management, and the need
      for medications with unwarranted side effects that compound the chronic medical conditions
      and adverse effects (e.g. excess use of antibiotics), and to systematically evaluate
      intolerances to certain foods and additives.

      Collaborating with Functional Medicine directly addresses the Guideline focus on control of
      factors contributing to symptom exacerbation as well as the Cleveland Clinic care path
      initiative goals of improving patient satisfaction with collaborative healthcare teams to
      modify risk factors and counsel on environmental/lifestyle modifications. This study will
      look at the effectiveness of adding a Functional Medicine approach to patient asthma care.

      The investigators intention with this pilot study is to study subjective areas of medicine
      (symptoms and quality of life) as objectively as possible, in order to supplement asthma care
      guidelines with potential evidence of asthma-related quality of life, lung function/asthma
      control, and biomarker-based reduction of inflammation and improvement of immune status.
      Certainly there is value to both approaches and the aspects that are valuable need to be
      determined so that these two disciplines can have a more integrated approach moving forward
      and benefit a larger population in innovative and scientifically proven ways.
    

Intervention name(s): Lifestyle Factors; Customized use of Dietary Supplements; Currently Accepted Asthma Care Guidelines
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Will look at nutrition and exercise that influence long-term health and chronic diseases.; Reduce ongoing biologic imbalances from deficiencies in dietary oxidants/ antioxidants via vitamin supplementation. Approach is customized based on results for laboratory testing.; Use of asthma care guidelines set forth by the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH/NHLBI) and Global Initiative for Asthma
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Moderate; Severe