Monitoring asthma symptoms using wearable devices

Finding Correlations Between Asthma Exacerbation, Physiological Measurements and Environmental Factors

North Carolina State University · NCT04845932

This study is testing if wearable devices can help track asthma symptoms in teenagers to see if they can predict when asthma attacks might happen.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment20 (estimated)
Ages14 Years to 18 Years
SexAll
SponsorNorth Carolina State University (other)
Locations1 site (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Trial IDNCT04845932 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study aims to identify physiological changes related to asthma by using wearable devices to monitor various health metrics in adolescents aged 14-18. Participants will wear devices that track heart rate, activity levels, and coughing sounds, while also using spirometry to measure lung function. The goal is to find reliable indicators of impending asthma exacerbations and to explore the challenges of using wearable technology for asthma management. Data will be collected over a four-month period, including daily measurements and weekly questionnaires.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents aged 14-18 with poorly controlled persistent asthma.

Not a fit: Patients with other lung diseases or those requiring daily oral steroids for asthma management may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved early detection of asthma exacerbations, enhancing patient management and outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using wearable technology for monitoring health conditions, but this specific approach to asthma exacerbation detection is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Adolescents (14-18 years old) with asthma will be included.
* Participants will have to be diagnosed with persistent asthma (as characterized in their UNC health record) that is poorly controlled since this is the focus of the study. They will be identified as eligible for inclusion by the UNC Coordinator partner. However, they should not have any other lung disease other than asthma. They should not be taking any oral steroids every day to control their asthma. They should not need to use their asthma rescue medication multiple times a day to help with their asthma symptoms. They should not have experienced wheezing brought on when performing a lung function test.
* Participants should have Wireless Internet access at their homes
* Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms will be automatically excluded due to their clinical screening prior to their clinic visit. However, if a participant contracts COVID-19 during the study, they will be encouraged to continue participating since all interactions will be remote after the first clinical screening.
* Adolescents should be able to use a iOS device (provided by the researchers) and the devices (with assistance from parents when appropriate) for data collection efforts. They cannot participate in this study if they don't feel comfortable with operating the multiple devices including the iOS device. The iOS device can only be used for the purposes of this study. The iOS device will be restricted by enabling Parental Control Settings accessible only to the researchers.
* The participation of an adolescent may be terminated by the investigator if they do not follow the guidelines for the study, including using the devices as instructed or participating in the interviews and weekly surveys. Also, the monthly renewal for the participation of the study (up to 4 months) will be decided by the investigators on a month-by-month basis given that the participant also agrees to continue in the study.
* Individuals with physical challenges are allowed to be incidentally included as long as they satisfy all the previous criteria.

Exclusion Criteria:

* none listed

Where this trial is running

Raleigh, North Carolina

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Asthma

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.