Using an antidepressant (citalopram/escitalopram) to cut down frequent asthma attacks in adults
A Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor for Asthma Patients with Frequent Exacerbations
This will see if the antidepressant medicines citalopram or escitalopram can help adults with asthma who keep having frequent flare-ups.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11303644 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are an adult with asthma that still flares often despite usual treatment, this project may give some participants an SSRI medicine (citalopram or escitalopram) and others a placebo while tracking asthma control and flare-ups. The team will use clinic visits and electronic medical record data to measure exacerbations, prednisone use, and overall asthma control over time. Earlier small clinical trials and an EMR analysis suggested these SSRIs reduced exacerbations even when depression improvement wasn't the main factor. The work is based at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, where uncontrolled adult asthma rates are high and the investigators aim to confirm those promising pilot results.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (likely age 21 and older) with asthma who continue to have frequent exacerbations despite appropriate standard treatment, particularly those able to attend visits in the Dallas area.
Not a fit: People whose asthma is well controlled, children, or anyone who cannot take SSRIs would likely not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower the number of asthma flare-ups and reduce the need for oral steroids in adults with frequent exacerbations.
How similar studies have performed: Small pilot trials and an electronic medical record analysis have shown promising reductions in exacerbations with citalopram/escitalopram, but larger confirmatory trials are still needed.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, E Sherwood — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Brown, E Sherwood
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.