Research breakthrough for asthma
RESEARCH carried out in part by the National Institute for Health Research in Leicester could help save the lives of asthma sufferers.
A study led by the University of Nottingham found the quadrupling of inhaled steroids during asthma worsenings could reduce serious asthma attacks in adults.
Previous research in Nottingham found that doubling the dose of inhaled steroids during worsening asthma did not prevent the frequency of serious attacks, so this new NIHR-funded clinical trial was set up to see if quadrupling the dose had a more beneficial effect.
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases and affects around 300 million people worldwide.
Acute episodes are frightening for patients, cause significant ill health, unnecessary deaths and also account for a large proportion of the overall costs of asthma to health services.
Three people die from asthma in the UK every day and, according to the National Review of Asthma Deaths, two thirds of these deaths could have been prevented with basic asthma care, which includes patients getting a written asthma action plan from their doctor outlining the medicine they should use.
The latest trial was carried out across centres country-wide including the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Aintree University Hospital, Oxford NIHR Respiratory BRC, University of Aberdeen, Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust.
The NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre is a partnership between Leicester’s Hospitals, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University.
Professor Chris Brightling, coauthor of the study and NIHR senior investigator in respiratory disease at the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre said: “Working with multiple centres in acute hospital trusts and GP practices across the country has led to a study with immediate impact on how patients with asthma selfmanage to prevent further exacerbations.
“NIHR funded studies are about taking research findings smoothly from clinical trials to routine practice for the benefit of patients through rapid adoption into national guidelines.”