SPIROmetry to Manage Asthma in Children (SPIROMAC)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
SPIROmetry to Manage Asthma in Children (SPIROMAC)
IRAS ID
306946
Contact name
Steve Turner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN31849868
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Asthma affects 1.1 million children in the UK. A child has an asthma attack every 2.5 minutes, and 10% of these children are admitted to hospital. Current guidelines say that recent asthma control (symptoms) should guide treatment to prevent attacks.
We need a reliable and evidence-based test to use alongside asthma control to guide treatment and reduce the number of asthma attacks. Spirometry is a simple breathing test which measures lung function, i.e. how the lungs are working. Currently, doctors disagree about how to best use spirometry because of a lack of research evidence and conflicting guidance from experts.
SPIROMAC will answer the question “In children with asthma does spirometry and asthma control (symptoms) guided treatment, compared to asthma control (symptoms) guided treatment alone, reduce the number of asthma attacks?”
We will recruit 550 children aged 6-15 years with asthma who have had an asthma attack in the last year. At the first appointment with the research team, permission to take part in the study will be obtained. Children will be put into one of two groups and has an equal chance of getting treatment in group 1 (treatment guided by spirometry plus asthma control (symptoms)) or group 2 (treatment guided by asthma control alone). All children will have spirometry measured at every visit. Asthma control (symptoms) and other asthma details will be gathered from questionnaires. A computer programme will guide treatment decisions based on symptom score, current treatment and also, in group 1, spirometry measurements. At 3- month intervals over a year, children will meet the research team, complete the symptom questionnaire, and spirometry, and have their treatment changed according to spirometry and asthma control (symptoms), or asthma control (symptoms) alone. We will measure asthma attacks and other outcomes over 12 months.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/WM/0097
Date of REC Opinion
24 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion