Previous Studies

Vitamin D add-on therapy enhances corticosteroid responsiveness in Asthma
VIDA was a clinical trial 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.
Results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, May 2014 | PDF version

Azithromycin for Preventing the development of upper Respiratory tract Illness into Lower respiratory track symptoms in children (APRIL) / Oral Corticosticosteroids for treating Episodes of significant Lower respiratory Tract symptoms in children (OCELOT)
APRIL/OCELOT were two separate but linked clinical trials for treating preschool-aged children with recurrent severe episodes of wheezing. The first study (APRIL) aimed to prevent wheezing illness from developing using a medication called azithromycin. If a wheezing illness did occur, the second trial (OCELOT) aimed to decrease the severity of symptoms using oral corticosteroids.
Results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, November 2015 | PDF version

Individualized therapy For Asthma in Toddlers (INFANT) / Acetaminophen Vs. Ibuprofen in Children with Asthma (AVICA)
INFANT/AVICA 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.
Results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, November 2015 | PDF version
Results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, August 2016 | PDF version

Step-up Yellow Zone Inhaled Corticosteroids to Prevent Exacerbations
Most people with asthma use an action plan to guide their asthma treatment. Written asthma action plans are usually color-coded. “Green” means that asthma symptoms are well controlled. “Yellow” means that asthma symptoms are not well controlled, and asthma treatment may need to change. “Red” means a severe worsening of symptoms. Red zone treatment is usually an oral corticosteroid, like prednisone.

The purpose of the STICS study was to find the best yellow zone action plan strategy for children with asthma, based on the child's asthma symptoms. Finding the best yellow zone strategy may prevent children from entering the red zone and having to take prednisone. The study is also aimed to determine which yellow zone strategy leads to the least total corticosteroid (oral and inhaled) use for children with asthma.
Results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, March 2018 | PDF version

Steroids In Eosinophil Negative Asthma
Most people with asthma have inflammation in their airway. Asthma controller medications, like inhaled corticosteroids, are meant to reduce inflammation in the airway. Reducing airway inflammation should make one's breathing easier. However, many people with asthma do not breathe easier when they take an inhaled corticosteroid.

There are several types of cells that can cause airway inflammation. However, inhaled corticosteroids mostly target only one cell called the eosinophil. The purpose of the SIENA study was to find out if people should take an asthma controller medication based on the type of inflammatory cells present in their airways.
Results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, May 2019 | PDF version

Best African American Response to Asthma Drugs
BARD was a clinical trial for children, adolescents, and adults of African ancestry with poorly controlled asthma. The purpose of the BARD study was to find the best treatment to add for African American/Black people who have asthma that is not well controlled on a low dose of inhaled steroid. The BARD study aimed to find out if African American/Black adults and children differ in how they respond to certain medications.
Results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, September 2019 | PDF version