RELIEF

The trial is looking at whether an inhaler which contains drugs to both relieve symptoms and to prevent attacks, in a single combination inhaler, is better for treating mild asthma symptoms than two separate inhalers — one for symptoms (attacks) and one for prevention (before attacks happen).

It wants to find out;

• How effective a combination inhaler might be versus standard care for symptom relief in mild asthma

• Overall costs and savings of the two treatments

• Health care providers and patients views on the new way to treat mild asthma.

How much does asthma cost the UK?

Asthma is one of the most prevalent long term conditions in the UK. It costs the UK £1.1billion every year in prescriptions, GP visits, hospital care and benefits.

Who can take part in the study?

Patients aged 18 and over with a clinical diagnosis of mild asthma.

If you are suitable and consent to the trial, what happens next?

Participants will be selected at random to be in either one of two groups for the trial. Both groups will continue to use their brown preventer inhaler, but one group will receive usual care blue reliever inhaler (e.g. Ventolin) and the second group will receive a combination inhaler (e.g. Symbicort or Fostair).

We will ask you in a monthly text if you have had any asthma attacks that needed steroid tablets, such as prednisolone. We also have some questionnaires about your asthma that we will ask you to fill in at different times throughout the trial. The questionnaires will help provide information about how best to understand participants’ experiences and how effective each treatment is. There is also an option for some people to be interviewed about their asthma experiences while in the trial. Your time in the study will be no more than 12 months.

Read the full Participant Information Sheet.