Near Fatal Asthma in Children and Young People
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Near Fatal Asthma in Children and Young People
IRAS ID
310881
Contact name
Steve Cunningham
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
The UK has a higher rate of death from asthma in children than any other developed nation. A previous severe asthma attack is associated with risk of future asthma death. Near fatal asthma is the most severe form of asthma attack. Presently, we do not know how often these attacks occur in the UK or which children are at most risk.
This study will run a survey throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland to find out how many children each year suffer a near fatal asthma attack. The survey will be run by the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU). Any clinician can inform the BPSU of a case when they see one. The clinician will then be sent a questionnaire so we can find out more about the circumstances leading up to the attack, the attack and how it is treated, the child’s previous asthma and allergies and what care the child is given following the attack to try and reduce future risk. We will look at environmental factors that may have made an attack more likely in these children, which will include exposure to pollution, pollen and weather changes.
By exploring this uncommon asthma attack we hope to better understand these attacks so that better and more consistent care can be provided following such attacks and future risk could be reduced in these children.
REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
22/SS/0030
Date of REC Opinion
11 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion