INnovative Steroid Treatment to reduce Asthma development in children after first-time Rhinovirus-induced wheezing (INSTAR): protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Asthma is a leading cause of morbidity and healthcare use among children. Risk factors of childhood asthma include atopic predisposition and severe wheezing episodes caused by rhinovirus infection in early life. In children with first-time rhinovirus-induced wheezing, we aim to study the response of a short corticosteroid treatment to prevent recurrent wheezing and asthma.

Method and analysis

This is a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase IV, international multicentre trial involving eight sites in Norway, Sweden and Finland. Two hundred and eighty 3-23 months old steroid-naïve children are randomised 1:1 to receive oral dexamethasone (0.3 mg/kg/day) versus placebo in 3 days for their first wheezing episode and rhinovirus infection. Rhinovirus is

SUBMITTER: Elvebakk T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12314947 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature