What the trial was testing
The PREPARE enrolled 1,220 patients with asthma. The study was sponsored by Brigham and Women's Hospital and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was long-term safety (phase 4). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
The simple strategy reduced severe asthma attacks by 15% compared to usual care.
The New England journal of medicine · 2022 · NCT02995733
These findings — that adding a steroid inhaler to rescue inhaler use cut severe asthma attacks — were published in the The New England journal of medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 1,220 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with asthma, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
If you're Black or Latinx with moderate-to-severe asthma, this study suggests a practical approach: using a steroid inhaler every time you reach for your rescue inhaler can reduce severe attacks and help you breathe easier day-to-day. This strategy is already possible with FDA-approved inhalers — talk to your doctor about whether this approach makes sense for you.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open asthma trials
Adult Arm of DZL All Age Asthma Cohort (ALLIANCE)
Deep Phenotyping of adult asthma patients: * severity from mild to severe * both atopic and non-atopic * both childhood and adult onset * both smokers and non-smokers * corresponding pediatric cohort (Pediatric Arm of DZL All Age Asthma Cohort) with equivalent SOPs regarding collection of biomaterial and clinical data incl. lung function, further processing of biomaterial and further analyses
Social Needs Screening and Chronic Diseases Study (WE CARE)
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the implementation of the WE CARE social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and referral intervention with an antiracist lens in primary care settings can lead to a meaningful decrease in chronic disease by monitoring conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, hyperlipidemia, and asthma through clinical measures. The main question it aims to answer is: Does the WE CARE SDOH screening and referral intervention applying an antiracism lens informed implementation strategies have the potential to reduce racial/ethnic health inequities in chronic diseases for minoritized patients?