The Breathing for Life Trial: A randomised controlled trial of fractional exhaled nitric oxide based management of asthma during pregnancy and its impact on perinatal outcomes and infant and childhood respiratory health

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

This study in pregnant women with asthma investigates the maternal, infant and childhood outcomes following asthma treatment adjustment using FENO, compared to standardised usual care treatment adjustment.

Martins Costa Gomes G, Collison AM, Karmaus WJJ, Da Silva Sena CR, Murphy VE, Brew BK, Grace T, Robinson PD, Sly PD, Frey U, Latzin P, Wyler F, Pennell CE, Gibson PG, Mattes J.

2025-11-09

10.1136/thorax-2025-223539

Association between maternal asthma and impaired infant lung function is diminished by inhaled corticosteroid use in pregnancy.

Martins Costa Gomes, Gabriela, Collison, Adam M, Karmaus, Wilfried J J, Da Silva Sena, Carla Rebeca, Murphy, Vanessa E et al. (15 authors)

Open Access CRIS of the University of Bern2025-11-09

10.48620/92365

What are the broader impacts and value from a randomised controlled trial conducted in six public hospital antenatal clinics in Australia? An impact assessment using the Framework to Assess the Impact from Translational health research

Elissa Elvidge, Vanessa E. Murphy, Melanie Rao, Peter G. Gibson, Karen McLaughlin et al. (21 authors)

BMJ Open2025-03-01

10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082795

Effect of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (F<sub>ENO</sub>)-based asthma management during pregnancy versus usual care on infant development, temperament, sensory function and autism signs.

Whalen OM, Campbell LE, Lane AE, Karayanidis F, Mallise CA, Woolard AJ, Holliday EG, Mattes J, Collison A, Gibson PG, Murphy VE.

2024-05-012 citations

10.1007/s00431-024-05578-4

Observational study of mental health in asthmatic women during the prenatal and postnatal periods

Olivia M. Whalen, Linda Campbell, Vanessa E. Murphy, Alison E. Lane, Peter G. Gibson et al. (10 authors)

Journal of Asthma2019-05-3114 citations

10.1080/02770903.2019.1621888

The Breathing for Life Trial: a randomised controlled trial of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based management of asthma during pregnancy and its impact on perinatal outcomes and infant and childhood respiratory health.

Murphy VE, Jensen ME, Mattes J, Hensley MJ, Giles WB, Peek MJ, Bisits A, Callaway LK, McCaffery K, Barrett HL, Colditz PB, Seeho SK, Attia J, Searles A, Doran C, Powell H, Gibson PG.

2016-05-1740 citations

10.1186/s12884-016-0890-3

Interventions

FENO Algorithm: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a non-invasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma. FENO will be measured at monthly visits during the second and third trimesters pregnancy and the level used to adjust maintenance asthma therapy. When FENO is high, inhaled corticosteroid therapy will be increased, when FENO is in a mid-range no change will be made to ICS, and when FENO is low, ICS will be decreased. If symptoms are present (assessed using the asthma control questio

FENO Algorithm: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a non-invasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma. FENO will be measured at monthly visits during the second and third trimesters pregnancy and the level used to adjust maintenance asthma therapy. When FENO is high, inhaled corticosteroid therapy will be increased, when FENO is in a mid-range no change will be made to ICS, and when FENO is low, ICS will be decreased. If symptoms are present (assessed using the asthma control questionnaire), long acting beta agonist (LABA) will be added.

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Prevention

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 50 Years

Healthy volunteers

No

Inclusion criteria

12-22 weeks gestation

Exclusion criteria

Inability to attend monthly study visits, inability to perform manoeuvres required for spirometry or FENO, drug or alcohol dependence, unknown dates, chronic oral steroid use or use of immunosuppressant therapy.

Outcome results