RecruitingNot Applicable

Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort

Austria, Switzerland6,000 participantsStarted 2017-06-06

Plain-language summary

The Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort (SPAC) is a national, prospective clinical cohort of children and adolescents who visit physicians in Switzerland for recurrent wheeze, cough, and exercise- or sleep-related respiratory problems. SPAC aims to answer important questions on clinical phenotypes, prognosis, diagnosis and treatment. SPAC is part of routine care, and only clinically indicated investigations are done. The comprehensive baseline assessment includes a detailed questionnaire to families, plus test results, diagnoses and treatments from hospital records. Follow-up is via monthly questionnaires the first 12 months and thereafter annual questionnaires to families, and data from follow-up visits. Currently, 4344 patients from 10 clinics and hospitals in Switzerland (Aarau, Basel, Bern, Chur, Horgen, Lausanne, Luzern, St. Gallen, Worb, Zurich) have been enrolled. SPAC provides real-life data on children visiting the Swiss health care system for common respiratory problems. It will provide a research platform for health services research, and for nested clinical and transitional studies. Publications and plain language summaries are listed on the study website: https://www.spac-study.ch/publikationen/

Who can participate

Age range

0 Years – 16 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Children and adolescents aged 0-16 years * Resident in Switzerland * Seen in a paediatric pulmonary outpatient clinic due to respiratory problems * Parents and patients above age 14 must be able to sign an informed consent form Exclusion Criteria: Prior diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, severe heart disease, oncological disease, neuromuscular disease or severe disability

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Wheeze

Timeframe: 1 year from inclusion in SPAC study

Cough apart from colds

Timeframe: 1 year from inclusion in SPAC study

Exercise-induced dyspnea

Timeframe: 1 year from inclusion in SPAC study

Reduced lung function

Timeframe: 1 year from inclusion in SPAC study

Trial details

NCT IDNCT03505216

SponsorUniversity of Bern

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2026-09-01

Contact for this trial

Claudia E Kuehni, Prof.

+41(0)316843507 claudia.kuehni@unibe.ch

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Asthma trials

Plain-language summary

Who can participate

Age range

0 Years – 16 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.