Performance and Adherence in Children using Spacers
Research type
Research Study
Full title
OUtcome following Tailored Education and Retraining: Studying Performance and Adherence in ChildrEn and young people with asthma: a Randomised feasibility Study (OUTER-SPACERS)
IRAS ID
297626
Contact name
Will Carroll
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Asthma is a common disease which causes swelling in the airways, making it difficult to breathe. Asthma is common in children, affecting 1 in 11 children in the UK. Asthma is treated with inhalers which reduce the swelling. If inhalers are taken correctly they can help keep symptoms under control, allowing asthma sufferers to go about their day with less chance of having an asthma attack. Many patients have been found to not take their inhalers correctly and either under use (which leads to poor control of symptoms) or over use (which leads to potential side effects).
Although asthma in most patients can be controlled with inhalers, not using inhalers correctly is one of the most common causes of poor control. This is common in children and young people (CYP) with all severities of asthma, resulting in high burden on the families and healthcare systems.
The biggest challenge facing doctors and nurses helping CYP with asthma is finding a way to ensure that they take the medication. Whilst there are many studies looking into inhaler use, there are no large studies about how inhalers are used between clinic visits in CYP with asthma.
The Smart Spacer is monitoring device which allows doctors to monitor when and how effectively inhalers are being used. This study wants to find out how well this device works, how well and how often CYP are using their inhalers, and if tailored education improves asthma control.
To do this, participants in the study will be randomly selected to have “tailored education” or “standard care education”.
REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/WM/0081
Date of REC Opinion
13 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion