A pragmatic trial of corticosteroid optimisation in severe asthma

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A RANDOMISED PRAGMATIC TRIAL OF CORTICOSTEROID OPTIMISATION IN SEVERE ASTHMA USING A COMPOSITE BIOMARKER ALGORITHM TO ADJUST CORTICOSTEROID DOSE VERSUS STANDARD CARE

  • IRAS ID

    182421

  • Contact name

    Liam Heaney

  • Contact email

    l.heaney@qub.ac.uk

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 6 months, 0 days

  • Research summary

    We are doing this study is to find out if doses of steroids (both inhaled and oral) routinely prescribed can be better targeted in patients with severe asthma, without causing any worsening of asthma symptoms. High doses of steroids can lead to side-effects and it is better for the patient for their asthma to be controlled with as low a dose of steroids as possible.

    It is thought that high doses of steroids do not improve the symptoms of some patients with asthma. However, it is not currently possible to identify these patients in the doctor’s surgery. In this study, we hope to identify those patients who will benefit from higher doses of steroids and those who will not: this will be done by looking at markers of asthma in their blood and exhaled breath. Identifying these two groups of patients will potentially help drug companies to develop new treatments for asthma with fewer side effects than steroids.

  • REC name

    HSC REC B

  • REC reference

    15/NI/0158

  • Date of REC Opinion

    11 Sep 2015

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion