CARE-UK
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A novel reliever strategy for children with asthma: Children’s Anti-inflammatory Reliever study, United Kingdom (CARE-UK)
IRAS ID
1009041
Contact name
Louise Fleming
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Research summary
We want to see if a new type of asthma reliever inhaler reduces asthma attacks in children. Children have asthma attacks that are treated with reliever medications (blue inhalers), which act quickly to briefly open the airways when they become narrow but their effect soon wears off. These blue inhalers don't treat the underlying problem, airway inflammation (swelling). Asthma attacks can be prevented with an inhaled steroid treatment (usually brown/purple inhalers which prevents the underlying airway swelling), a maintenance treatment. This new type of combination reliever inhaler contains a fast acting steroid working by helping to dampen inflammation and is usually taken regularly/every day. In adults and teenagers, this inhaler has been shown to work well by relieving symptoms and treating the underlying airway inflammation resulting in fewer asthma attacks. This combination inhaler can be used instead of the usual reliever medication on its own for people with infrequent asthma symptoms or as both a regular preventer and a reliever for those with more troublesome symptoms. We want to test the new combination reliever inhaler for children aged ≥4 to <12 years. Children will be randomly allocated to one of 2 groups:
1. Usual care, no change in treatment
2. The new approach, using the combination inhaler on its own as a reliever when symptoms occur or for both maintenance and reliever treatment
We will identify children through GP records, attendance at hospital asthma clinics or they may self refer through social media adverts. Once they have agreed to take part in the study, we will ask that they attend 4 visits in total, some face to face, some over the telephone, some in person at their local study site. We will see which group has the most asthma attacks requiring a course of steroid tablets. The results of the trial will change National asthma guidelines and findings may be shared by Asthma and Lung UK on their platforms.REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
24/WA/0046
Date of REC Opinion
12 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion