Does neonatal airway epithelial cell function predict childhood asthma?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A questionnaire follow up of young children who had nasal airway epithelial cell samples collected within 48 hours of birth
IRAS ID
199216
Contact name
Louise King
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
We know that the cells lining the breathing tubes (known as airway epithelial cells) of children with asthma are different to those from children without asthma. Our study will attempt to answer the "chicken and egg" question do the abnormalities in airway epithelial cells (AEC) linked to asthma the cause of asthma symptoms or are they caused by the development of asthma? The answer to this question will be important to understanding the role of AEC in the aetiology of asthma.
Between May 2011 and May 2013 we recruited 139 babies where we obtained cells lining the inside of the nose in the first two days of life. The cells lining the nose are the same as the cells that line the breathing tubes in the lungs. We have studied the cells we collected form these newborn babies and reported our findings. Now we would like to ask the parents of these now 3-5 year olds whether their children have developed any asthma symptoms. We will then link the results we already have to the asthma outcome. Our hypothesis is that there will be abnormalities in AEC function in the newborn period which are associated with later asthma symptoms. We plan to follow up this cohort again when the children are approximately 6 years old and able to do breathing tests and a diagnosis of asthma is more secure.
The applicants on the present study include Dr Miller, Dr Turner and Prof Devereux (all involved in the recruitment and earlier assessment of the cohort). Aberdeen no longer has the facility to culture AEC for the six year follow up and we will therefore collaborate with Dr Power and Prof Shields, colleagues in Belfast with expertise in AEC culture, on the present and the six year follow up.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0056
Date of REC Opinion
11 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion