Breathing Together- Cross-sectional validation study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pulmonary epithelial barrier and immunological functions at birth and in early life: key determinants of the development of asthma? Severe wheeze and asthma validation study
IRAS ID
216021
Contact name
Andrew Bush
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 7 months, 17 days
Research summary
BACKGROUND: The cells that line the airways act as a barrier to infections and proteins that cause allergy, and release a variety of chemicals. We know that these airway cells react abnormally to viruses in children with asthma, but we do not know if this is cause or consequence of asthma. We know little about these cells in preschool children with wheezing and we do not know when the changes that are associated with asthma begin.
RESEARCH QUESTION: We want to know why some preschool children develop wheezing and why some go on to develop asthma while others grow out of their symptoms. Children with asthma have an early, lifelong loss in lung function which currently cannot be prevented. We want to see whether the airway lining cells from preschool wheezers behave differently to those from non-wheezers, whether symptom severity affects the cells and also whether there are any similarities between the cells from wheezers compared to children with asthma.
WHO WILL BE ELIGIBLE: Children aged 5 years and under undergoing elective surgery under anaesthetic (Group 2). Children aged 1-5 years with severe wheezing undergoing a clinically indicated bronchoscopy (a fibreoptic camera passed into the airways under anaesthetic) (Group 3). Children with severe asthma aged 6-16 years undergoing a clinically indicated bronchoscopy (Group 4).
WHERE WILL WE ENROL: Five hospitals with specialist respiratory paediatrics services.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO: Parents will be asked to complete symptom questionnaires. Whilst under general anaesthetic, administered for clinical reasons, we will collect nasal swabs, airway lining (epithelial) cells, airway fluid (broncho-alveolar lavage) and blood from all children (Groups 2-4) and in addition, endobronchial biopsies from those undergoing bronchoscopy (Groups 3&4). These samples will only add 5 minutes to the procedure, and will only be taken if the anaesthetist (independent of the study)agrees it is safe.REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0013
Date of REC Opinion
19 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion