Prospective cohort study
The total duration of the study is 12 months. In the first 6 months subjects meeting the study criteria will be recruited, the next 6 months will be follow up.
Children with asthma or wheeze which start treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), cromoglycates, long acting B-agonists (LABA) or montelukast/zafirlukast (LTRA).
Inclusion and exclusion criteria and severity of asthma.
Such information will be collected by an electronic form on the doctor’s computer which appears in the moment in which he/she prewscribes one of the drugs of interest.
Severità will be classified according to GINA guidelines.
Inclusion and exclusion criteria and severity of asthma.
Such information will be collected by an electronic form on the doctor’s computer which appears in the moment in which he/she prewscribes one of the drugs of interest.
Severità will be classified according to GINA guidelines.
a) Treatment failure. Includes interruption of controller therapy, use of oral steroids, hospitalisation and/or accessing emergency services for asthma.
b) Exacerbation of asthma. Includes use of oral steroids, hospitalisation and/or accessing emergency services for asthma.
The aim of the study is to establish the severity of asthma at the time of treatment initiation and evaluating the different outcomes (failure, exacerbations) between different controller therapies.
A pilot study has shown that in 6 months each paeditarician should have 5-10 children eligible for the study. We expect to enrol 500 children.
Recruitment was stopped in May 2007 with almost 600 children having been enrolled compared to the 500 expected. These children will be followed for at least 6 months from the prescription of treatment being studied.
The study started in January 2006 and finished in December 2007.
Miriam CJM Sturkenboom
Department of Epidemiology and Buiostatistics and medical informatics, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam
Carlo Giaquinto
Dipartimento di Pediatria, Padova
Luigi Cantarutti
Coordinamento Pedianet, PLS, Padova
Alongi Angelo, Avarello Giovanni, Barberi Frandanisa Maria, Barone Roberto, Basoccu Pietro, Biondi Claudio, Bonfigli Emanuela, Bratto Massimo, Budassi Roberto, Cantarutti Luigi, Cera Giuseppe Egidio, Cuboni Giancarlo, Curto Salvatore, De Clara Roberto, De Marchi Annamaria, Doria Mattia, Drago Stefano, Elio Giuseppe, Ferretti Michele, Fusco Fabrizio, Galvagno Andrea, Gentili Alberta, Gentilucci Pierfrancesco, Giancola Giuseppe, Girotto Silvia, Gobbi Costantino, Grillone Giuseppe, Lietti Giuseppe, Lista Cinzia, Lorusso Giuseppe, Macropodio Nadia, Masotti Sergio, Mauri Laura, Mazzini Franco, Milani Massimo, Mirabelli M. Cristina, Mulas Anna, Muzzolini Carmen, Nicoloso Flavia, Olimpi Laura, Pasinato Angela, Passarella Andrea, Rosas Paolo, Rosignoli Rino, Ruffato Bruno, Salamone Pietro, Sambugaro Daniela, Saretta Luigi, Sciolla Nicola, Semenzato Flavio, Senesi Paolo, Spanevello Walter, Speciale Sergio ,Speranza Francesco, Storelli Francesco, Tamassia Gianni, Tambaro Paolo, Terenghi Albino, Toffol Giacomo, Trebbi Miro, Valpreda Andrea, Vannini Paola, Varni Pierfiorenzo, Vertua Guido, Volpe Concetta.
Antonio Scamarcia
Società Servizi Telematici, Padova
Alessandro Zandarin
Società Servizi Telematici, Padova
The study was partially funded by Merck, US