Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Improving the Quality of Care for Asthma Patients at Risk of Exacerbations
Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Summary
The goal of this trial test two known effective asthma strategies. Treatment guidelines recommend combination therapy of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) with a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) inhaled medications. This strategy is known as MART (maintenance and reliever therapy). The second strategy is PARTICS (patient activated reliever triggered ICS) strategy instructs patients to use an ICS metered dose inhaler (ICS) each time they use their rescue inhaler. In addition, they are instructed to take 5 puffs of the ICS after each rescue nebulizer use. PARTICS has been shown to reduce exacerbations, increase asthma control and quality of life, however, the question remains if PARTICS is as effective as MART and therefore be an alternative to MART. This trial will test PARTICS and MART head-to-head. The trial will include adults with moderate-to-severe asthma at risk for an asthma exacerbation, currently using a combination ICS. The main questions aim to answer: * Is PARTICS as effective as SMART? * Might PARTICS be more effective than SMART? Is the relative effectiveness of PARTICS versus SMART affected by frequent nebulizer use for asthma relief? * Do PARTICS and SMART diverge in terms of their effectiveness on differing asthma outcomes important to patients? * Do socioeconomic factors affect the relative effectiveness of PARTICS and SMART? Researchers will compare non frequent nebulizer (NFN) users - less than once a week to frequent nebulizer users - once a week or more, to assess whether the PARTICS strategy is ono-inferior (or superior to the MART strategy in reducing exacerbations, (primary outcome), increasing asthma control and quality of life and decrease days lost from work/school or usual activities. Most participants will be consented, enrolled, and randomized virtually, others will be consented, enrolled and randomized in person. Once randomized they will be instructed on how to use the prescribed medication: * Participants randomized to MART will be instructed to use the prescribed ICS/LABA for maintenance and as needed for rescue. * Participants randomized to PARTICS will be instructed to use the prescribed ICS each time they use their rescue inhaler and take 5 puffs of the newly prescribed ICS after each rescue nebulizer use. * Participants will be followed for 16 months by monthly survey.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 75 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
4100
Start Date
2026-07
Completion Date
2030-12
Last Updated
2026-03-12
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
PARTICS using a single ICS add on
Participants randomized to PARTICS who use a nebulizer less than once a week are instructed to use the study prescribed ICS each time they use their rescue inhaler and take 5 puffs of the newly prescribed ICS after each rescue nebulizer use.
MART
Participants are instructed to use prescribed study ICS/LABA for maintenance and as needed for rescue.
Locations (6)
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Brigham and Womens Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Washington University
St Louis, Missouri, United States
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina, United States
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
University of Wisconsin Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, United States