POWERED: Preschool outcomes of wheeze employing reliable ergonomic digital-technology

Synopsis

Why the research project is important

Wheeze in pre-schoolers is a prognosis that is associated with poor future lung function and a high burden to parents and the health system with high medication use, unplanned emergency visits and economic costs. Currently, the lack of an accepted pre-school wheeze (PSW) management approach is due in part to the poor and unreliable detection of wheeze. Failing to recognise wheeze can delay diagnosis, especially if it is recurrent, which then increases parental burden, exacerbations, hospitalisations and doctor visits. Early and reliable wheeze detection combined with an evidence-based management approach will lead to improved diagnosis and outcomes. An easy to use management plan based on detecting wheeze objectively is required and what this study seeks to evaluate.

What the research seeks to do

Our study seeks to improve the management of PSW with a proposed intervention (bundle) that includes the use of a clinically validated device (WheezeScan) that detects wheeze and a wheeze management plan. Our study also aims to identify an objective phenotype of pre-schoolers who wheeze by looking at biomarkers in saliva, blood and urine of our participants.

What are the research outcomes/ impact

With the use of the WheezeScan device and an intervention bundle that assists parents with the management of their child’s wheeze, our RCT hopes to show that proper wheeze management will lead to reduced doctors visits and improved quality of life for children/families, including those living in rural and remote regions. Our secondary outcome is that the use of the intervention bundle will reduce the burden on the healthcare system.