AQI Information for Asthma

(PIKAS Trial)

PA
Overseen ByPediatric Asthma Center
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether adding air quality information to asthma action plans can improve asthma outcomes in children. Researchers will compare two types of air quality information (EPA-AQI and commercial-AQI) to determine if either helps children with asthma feel better over time. Participants will receive education about outdoor air pollution, follow an asthma action plan, provide samples, and attend regular check-ins. Children diagnosed with asthma who have experienced a severe asthma attack in the past year, live in Allegheny County, PA, and have internet access at home may be suitable for this trial. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to enhance understanding of how air quality information can improve asthma management in children.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you have not used intranasal or oral/IM corticosteroids in the 4 weeks before joining. Other current medications are not specifically mentioned, so it's best to discuss with the trial team.

What prior data suggests that adding AQI information to asthma action plans is safe for children?

Research shows that the Air Quality Index (AQI) can help people with asthma understand the effects of air pollution. The AQI, whether from the EPA or commercial sources, tracks pollution levels that can impact asthma symptoms.

Regarding safety, AQIs provide information rather than medication, so they lack the side effects associated with drugs. Instead, they guide people with asthma on when to adjust activities or medication based on pollution levels. Studies indicate that higher AQI levels can lead to more asthma flare-ups, so using AQI information might help manage these risks.

In summary, using AQI data is safe because it keeps individuals informed. It helps people make better choices to avoid asthma triggers from air pollution. No evidence suggests that checking AQI levels can harm anyone, and it might help keep asthma under control.12345

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how air quality information (AQI) can help people with asthma manage their condition better. Unlike typical asthma management, which often focuses on medication and action plans, this trial investigates whether adding real-time air quality data can enhance asthma care. The trial compares the standard approach with two innovative ones: one using EPA's AQI data and another using commercial AQI sources. These methods could potentially empower individuals to make informed decisions and reduce asthma symptoms by avoiding poor air quality exposure.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for asthma?

Research shows that using Air Quality Index (AQI) information can help people with asthma manage their symptoms. This trial will divide participants into different groups to assess the effectiveness of various AQI-based interventions. Participants in one arm of this trial will receive the EPA-AQI, which alerts them when air quality is poor, enabling them to avoid asthma triggers. Studies indicate that an AQI above 101 can be unhealthy for people with asthma, who might need to change their activities or medications. Another arm of this trial will use the commercial AQI, which provides similar guidance to reduce exposure to outdoor pollution that can worsen asthma symptoms. While more information on the commercial AQI is needed, both types of AQI information aim to improve asthma outcomes by guiding people to avoid unhealthy air conditions.12678

Who Is on the Research Team?

FR

Franziska Rosser, MD MPH

Principal Investigator

University of Pittsburgh

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for children with asthma who feel their condition gets worse with outdoor air pollution. They must be willing to follow an asthma action plan, provide nose and blood samples, and commit to regular visits over a year.

Inclusion Criteria

Home access to a smartphone or internet
Primary residence in Allegheny County, PA
One participant per household
See 3 more

Exclusion Criteria

Current participation in another asthma intervention trial
Plans to relocate from Allegheny County, PA in the next year (12 months)
I do not have any active chronic respiratory diseases like cystic fibrosis.
See 4 more

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive standardized outdoor air pollution education and an asthma action plan, with additional AQI information for experimental groups

48 weeks
13 visits (10 by telephone, 3 in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

  • Commercial-AQI
  • Education and plan
  • EPA-AQI

Trial Overview

The study tests if adding Air Quality Index (AQI) information from the EPA or commercial sources to asthma plans helps improve health outcomes. It involves education on pollution, comparing two AQI groups against a control group without AQI data.

How Is the Trial Designed?

3

Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: EPA-AQI (Education+ plan + EPA-AQI)Experimental Treatment2 Interventions
Group II: Commercial-AQI (Education+ plan + commercial-AQI)Experimental Treatment2 Interventions
Group III: Control (Standard outdoor air pollution education + asthma action plan)Active Control1 Intervention

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pittsburgh

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1,820
Recruited
16,360,000+

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

Collaborator

Trials
294
Recruited
1,233,000+

Citations

Pollution Intervention to Impact Kids Asthma Study

The main questions it aims to answer are: Does adding either information about the EPA-AQI or commercial AQI improve asthma outcomes over time?

Influence of Outdoor Air Pollutants on Asthma - PubMed Central

These findings highlight the importance of reducing exposure to outdoor air pollutants to mitigate asthma risk and improve public health outcomes, particularly ...

Patient Exposure and the Air Quality Index

The AQI is a nationally uniform color-coded index for reporting and forecasting daily air quality. It is used to report on the most common ambient air ...

Modeling the Air Quality and Asthma Impacts under a Four ...

Purpose: The four-day workweek appears to be a viable implementation, assuring improvements in work-life balance and traffic congestion, among other benefits.

Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma Outcomes - PMC

Evidence suggests that air pollution has a negative impact on asthma outcomes in both adult and pediatric populations.

Air Quality Index as a Predictor of Respiratory Morbidity in ...

The study revealed that higher AQI levels were significantly associated with increased rates of asthma exacerbations, particularly on the same day of pollutant ...

Review article Influence of Outdoor Air Pollutants on Asthma

Our findings reinforce evidence for a positive association between air quality index (AQI) and components such as carbon monoxide (CO), NO2, ozone (O3), PM10, ...

Pollution Intervention to Impact Kids Asthma Study

The main questions it aims to answer are: Does adding either information about the EPA-AQI or commercial AQI improve asthma outcomes over time?