Using targeted corticosteroids for preschool children with wheezing
Official title: A Single Centre Randomised, Feasibility Study Using Point-of-care (POC) Testing for Respiratory Viruses to Direct Oral Corticosteroids Use in Preschool-aged Children With Acute Wheeze.
Run by Queen's University, Belfast · NCT06580600 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if quick virus tests can help doctors decide if preschool kids with wheezing should get corticosteroids to avoid giving them unnecessary treatment.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 24 Months to 60 Months |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Queen's University, Belfast Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Belfast, NI) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 4, 2024 |
| Main results expected | February 26, 2027 |
| Study ends | February 26, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 31, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06580600 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are preschool children aged 24 to 60 months with a clinical diagnosis of acute wheeze and uncertainty regarding the benefit of oral corticosteroids.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe wheeze, signs of shock, or contraindications to corticosteroids will not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study aims to determine if point-of-care respiratory virus testing can help identify preschool children with mild-to-moderate wheeze who would benefit from corticosteroid treatment. It will involve screening children aged 24 to 60 months who present to the emergency department with acute wheeze. Eligible participants will undergo nasal swab testing for respiratory viruses, and their treatment will be guided by the results to minimize unnecessary corticosteroid use. The study will be conducted at a single center, focusing on improving treatment decisions for young children experiencing wheeze.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to more effective and safer treatment for preschool children with wheezing by ensuring that only those who will benefit from corticosteroids receive them.
How similar studies have gone: While there is ongoing research in this area, this specific approach using point-of-care testing for corticosteroid treatment in preschool wheeze is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 24-60 months (infants from 24 months +0 days to 60 months + 0 days inclusive) * Clinical diagnosis of acute wheeze * Clinical uncertainty regarding the benefit of OCS as part of patient's standard care Exclusion Criteria: * Signs and symptoms of severe or life-threatening wheeze * Patients presenting with wheeze suspicious for a non - respiratory cause * Clinical evidence of shock or bacterial sepsis * Past history of severe or life-threatening asthma or history of previous PICU admission with acute wheeze * History of preterm birth (before 36+0 weeks gestation) * Known immunodeficiency/ongoing immunosuppressive therapy * Contraindication to oral corticosteroids * Previously enrolled in the PRECISE Study
Where it's running
-
Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
Belfast, Ni, United Kingdom Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Helen E Groves, PhD — Queen's University, Belfast
- Study coordinator: Hannah R Norman-Bruce, MBBS
- Email: hnormanbruce01@qub.ac.uk
- Phone: (+44) 028 9097 1643
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.