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The Use of a Forecasting System for Predicting Exacerbations of COPD

NCT00788645 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: EARLY_PHASE1 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 98

Last updated 2010-12-02

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) often have periods during the year when their symptoms become worse. These are often due to an infection and are called "exacerbations" by doctors. Exacerbations are more common in the winter and also seem to be related to particular types of weather. As well as forecasting the weather the UK Met Office has developed a system to try to predict when exacerbations are likely to occur. The main purpose of this research study is to find out whether the Met Office forecasting service can predict when exacerbations are more likely to occur and whether the advice given during the predicted higher risk periods leads to fewer patients having an exacerbation or if it reduces the impact of the exacerbation. The study will also assess if there is a link between viral or bacterial infection and breathing problems that occur during the study period. The study will also collect information about possible causes of the breathing problems and what happens to the person afterwards. The results of this study will help us learn more about breathing problems which may lead to new research studies that would aim to improve the care of people with COPD.

Conditions

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

COPD self care advice

Information leaflets on COPD and thermometers to monitor the ambient temperature in the bedroom and living room

BEHAVIORAL

Poor weather forecast warning

Interactive automated telephone service to contact patients prior to anticipated periods of poor weather

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • David Halpin, MD · Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, Devon, UK

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
40 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2008-08-31
Primary Completion
2009-03-31
Completion
2009-03-31

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Entities

Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00788645 on ClinicalTrials.gov