Note: CTSI's Pediatric Clinical Research Center, one of eight Bay Area clinical sites managed by the Institute's Clinical Research Services program, supports this research by providing hospital space for patient exams and assessments as well as helping with study coordination.
By Kate Rauch
As asthma rates continue to rise in the U.S. — proportionally affecting more children than adults — experts at UCSF and across the nation continue to search for the best medicines for pediatric patients.
Nearly 10 percent of American children under the age of 17 were diagnosed with the condition between 2008 and 2010. In many cases, the condition requires emergency care.
To hone effective treatments, two related studies that include researchers from UCSF are underway to closely examine the effectiveness of pediatric asthma medicines. The studies are called APRIL, for Azithromycin for Preventing the development of upper Respiratory tract Illness into Lower respiratory tract symptoms, and OCELOT for Oral Corticosteroids for treating Episodes of significant LOwer respiratory Tract symptoms in children.
“We have many medications and therapies for asthma, but we need to better understand which medications are first-line for specific situations and for specific kids,” said Michael D. Cabana, MD, MPH, a professor of pediatrics in the UCSF School of Medicine who is leading UCSF’s efforts for the multi-site research.
Read more at UCSF.edu