PARC study provides an exciting opportunity to improve outcomes for children with asthma

This week is the #AskAboutAsthma campaign. Run by NHS England – London, it aims to raise awareness around childhood asthma and how to manage it.

Many children and teenagers have asthma; a long-term lung condition that causes wheezing and breathlessness. Severe asthma attacks may need hospital treatment and can be life-threatening. There are typically two types of inhalers that are used to treat asthma: relievers and preventers and it is well known that children who use high numbers of reliever inhalers are more likely to have poor asthma control and an increased risk of severe asthma attacks.  It has therefore been recommended that these children should have an urgent check-up. This does not yet routinely happen. 

The PARC project (Prescription Alerts for Reliever Inhalers in Children) aims to determine whether enhanced asthma reviews in children prescribed 7 or more reliever inhalers over 12 months can prevent severe asthma attacks.

It is being supported by GP practices across Wessex and Thames Valley, with 30 already signed up here in Wessex. Eligible children (aged 1-17) will be offered a 30-minute asthma review with a specially trained nurse. They will receive a follow up phone call 4-8 weeks later as well as being provided with an up-to-date asthma action plan. 

Participant recruitment is now underway with the first clinics starting last month. The study is due to run until October 2026. 

Dr Anna Selby, Clinical lecturer and Paediatric Registrar from University of Southampton/University Hospital Southampton comments: “PARC is an important study with potential to improve outcomes in children with asthma. We are targeting children at high risk of asthma attacks and inviting them for a check-up to identify ways in which we can improve their asthma control”. 

For more information about the study email parc@uhs.nhs.uk.