Research& Programs

AsthmaResearch

The University of Illinois at Chicago is a member of several nationwide, multi-site clinical trial networks, including the Precision Interventions for Severe and/or Exacerbation-Prone Asthma Network (PrecISE) network and AsthmaNet, both of which are networks funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct both adult and pediatric clinical trials in asthma.

Clinical Trials in Asthma at the Breathe Chicago Center©

LungHealth Cohort

The Lung Health Cohort (LHC) study is the first federally funded, community-based cohort study of millennials in the nation. This study aims to discover what biomarkers as well as genetic and environmental factors lead to the development of lung disease, with the goal of being able to prevent it in the future. Participants will be followed for up to 4 years. This study is sponsored by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the American Lung Association (ALA).

We are actively recruiting healthy participants aged 25 to 35 to be part of this important project. If you are interested in signing up, reach out to LHC_study@uic.edu.

MATCH

The MATCH study (Improving medication adherence with telehealthcare medication therapy management to change health outcomes in adolescents and young adults with asthma) aims to understand whether having regular telehealth appointments with a pharmacist using a smart phone or computer will help adolescents and young adults with asthma gain control of asthma symptoms and improve inhaler effectiveness. MATCH is sponsored by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

ABBS

ABBS (Asthma BMI Baseline Study) is a study being done because men and women who have asthma and a higher body mass index (BMI) do not respond well to usual asthma treatments. At the moment, there are no treatments specifically targeting asthma in patients with a higher BMI. The goal of ABBS is to help researchers plan for future studies that aim to find new treatments for patients who have asthma and higher BMIs. ABBS is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Lung Association. ABBS is closed to enrollment.

PrecISE

PrecISE (Precision Interventions for Severe Asthma) is a five-year clinical trial that aims to identify more effective treatments for severe asthma, which affects nearly 10% of people living with asthma worldwide. The study will use an adaptive designed clinical trial that will support a personalized medicine approach to identifying therapies which are tailored to an individual’s disease and treatment history. PrecISE is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

For more information about PrecISE, call us at 1-855-I-WHEEZE (1-855-494-3393) or email us at breathe@uic.edu.

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SIENA

SIENA (Steroids in Eosinophil Negative Asthma) was a clinical trial for adolescents and adults with mild to moderate asthma. The purpose of this study was to find out what medications work best for patients with different types of asthma. In this trial, we tested whether people benefit from taking an inhaled corticosteroid (fluticasone propionate) versus a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (tiotropium) based on the type of inflammatory cells in their airways.  The study involved 9-12 clinic visits over 1 year (about 1 visit per month) during which participants took inhalers provided by the clinical trial and kept track of their asthma symptoms using an electronic diary (“e-diary”). SIENA was sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The SIENA study has been completed.

Read SIENA Results

SIENA on NPR

TheCHICAGO Plan

Funded by PCORI, The CHICAGO Plan (Coordinated Healthcare Interventions for Childhood Asthma Gaps in Outcomes) was a collaborative effort between 12 Chicago based institutions, including the University of Illinois Hospital & Sciences System, Sinai Health System, Rush University Medical Center, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Lurie Children’s Hospital, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Chicago Department of Public Health, Respiratory Health Association, Chicago Asthma Consortium, NorthShore University HealthSystem, and the Illinois Institute of Technology. This broad-based collaborative, including caregivers, patient advocacy groups, public health officers, and patient-centered outcomes researchers was dedicated to eliminating asthma health disparities. Drawing on collaborations that span nearly two decades, the CHICAGO Plan tested both provider- and patient-level interventions to improve clinically meaningful outcomes in a minority pediatric ED population with uncontrolled asthma. The CHICAGO Plan study has been completed.

Read about Results

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BARD

BARD (Best African American Response to Asthma Drugs) was a clinical trial for children, adolescents, and adults of African ancestry with poorly controlled asthma. The goal of BARD was to find out which asthma treatment, at what dose, works best for self-identified Blacks. BARD was sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The BARD study has been completed.

Read BARD Results

INFANT/ AVICA

INFANT (INdividualized therapy For Asthma iN Toddlers) and AVICA (Acetaminophen Vs. Ibuprofen in Children with Asthma) studies were two separate but linked studies for preschool aged children with persistent asthma. INFANT was designed to determine whether one asthma controller-medication worked better than another for these children and to see if there were characteristics about a child that helped doctors predict which treatment would work better. AVICA was designed to find out if different fever/pain medicines have an effect on asthma symptoms. INFANT and AVICA were sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The INFANT and AVICA studies have been completed.

Read INFANT Results Read AVICA Results

STICS

STICS (STep-up yellow zone Inhaled Corticosteroids to prevent exacerbations) was a pediatric study for children with moderate asthma. The goal of the STICS study was to determine whether quintupling the dose of inhaled corticosteroids at the onset of asthma symptoms reduced the rate of severe asthma exacerbations treated with oral corticosteroids. STICS was sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The STICS study has been completed.

Read STICS Results

PRR

PRR (Pulmonary Research Registry) is a community of people interested in lung health. Joining the registry lets researchers know you would like to be contacted about participating in research. Dr. Jerry Krishnan is a lung doctor and researcher at the Breathe Chicago Center© and leads this registry.

Learn more about the registry

VIDA

VIDA (VItamin D add-on therapy enhances corticosteroid responsiveness in Asthma) was a clinical trial was for adults with asthma and vitamin D deficiency. The goal of VIDA was to find out if taking Vitamin D in addition to an inhaled steroid helped to prevent worsening asthma symptoms and asthma exacerbations. VIDA was sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The VIDA study has been completed.

Read VIDA Results