Actively Recruiting
Dosing of Steroids for Acute Asthma Given in the Emergency Department - a Pilot Randomised Feasibility Trial of Dexamethasone in Children
Led by Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust · Updated on 2026-04-23
104
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
27 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Steroids given by mouth are an important first line treatment for children presenting with asthma attacks. Dexamethasone is the steroid used in some emergency departments (EDs) because of the need for a single dose and as it is well tolerated. The dose of dexamethasone in treating asthma attacks is not clearly established. This study compares two different doses of dexamethasone in children presenting with an asthma attack. Investigators will compare the effect of two different doses in reducing the need for a repeat prescription of steroids for an asthma attack in the 2 weeks after the first treatment. The investigators will also look at how often children attend the ED or their GP after being given treatment as well as the acceptability to parents and children. Although this study may provide an answer to the question of whether the different doses have the same effect, the investigators believe that a larger study will be needed to provide robust generalisable evidence, as well as to ensure that the outcomes are truly what matters to parents, children and healthcare professionals. This study will provide valuable information to enable a larger study to be undertaken.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Dosing of Steroids for Acute Asthma Given in the Emergency Department - a Pilot Randomised Feasibility Trial of Dexamethasone in Children
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Children aged 4 to 15 years presenting to the emergency department with an asthma attack where oral steroids are recommended
- Children whose parents/carers speak English or Slovakian, Arabic, or Urdu with interpreter support available
You will not qualify if you...
- Children treated with oral or IV steroids in the last 2 weeks
- Children allergic to the study drug (dexamethasone)
- Children with stridor along with asthma
- Children experiencing their first wheezing episode without asthma diagnosis
- Children with difficult asthma who usually need longer steroid courses
- Children having life-threatening asthma episodes
- Children with other medical conditions requiring steroids when ill
- Children currently or recently involved in other research studies
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Sheffield, United Kingdom, S10 2TH
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
M
Meena Balasubramanian
CONTACT
G
Gillian Gatenby
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
TRIPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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