AsthmaMECANCT00594750
Mechanisms of Exacerbation of Asthma
An observational study of Asthma, run by University of California, San Francisco at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to identify the causes of asthma that were not previously suspected, to better understand the effects of inhaled steroids on asthma and to identify new way to treat asthma. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Asthma
- How many people
- 67 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- May 2006to 5 Aug 2025
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: emergency deparment, admitted patients in the ICU and inpatient wards
Who may be able to join
- Male and female subjects with a history of asthma between the ages of 18 to 75 years.
- Physician diagnosis of asthma.
- Currently experiencing an acute exacerbation of asthma. This exacerbation may be severe necessitating treatment in the emergency room, ICU, or hospital ward.
- Ability to provide informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Lung disease other than asthma.
- Females who are lactating or who are pregnant.
- Use of recreational drugs in the 1 month preceding the study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
UCSF Airway Clinical Research Center
San Francisco, California, 94143
About this study
The purpose of this study is to identify the causes of asthma that were not previously suspected, to better understand the effects of inhaled steroids on asthma and to identify new way to treat asthma.
Read the detailed description
In this study, we will explore mechanisms of exacerbation in asthma by careful characterization studies in asthmatics presenting in acute severe exacerbation. Specifically, we will determine the frequency of secretor status in these subjects by blood and saliva testing, and we will also perform a detailed cellular and biochemical analysis of their airway secretions. We will collect airway secretions using two methods. One method will be to have subjects cough sputum into a clean plastic container. The other method only applies to asthmatics with near-fatal asthma requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation. In these asthmatics, we will collect airway secretions by tracheal aspirate using methods normally applied in their clinical care.
- Conditions
- Asthma
- Medical subject headings
- Asthma
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Asthma | People who have been diagnosed with Asthma |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
rheological measurements (viscosity and elasticity) in sputum from patients with acute severe asthma
Measured: 1-2 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Jan 2008 (estimated)
- Study startMay 2006
- Primary completion1 Nov 2019
- Study completion5 Aug 2025
Why it stopped: The restrictions on research imposed for the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from continuing recruitment and visits. Funding was not sufficient to continue the study.
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for AsthmaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, San FranciscoThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 67 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San Francisco
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- John V Fahy, M.D., M.Sc., Principal investigator, University of California, San Francisco
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00594750
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 10-01329
- Other IDs
- 5R01HL080414-08
- Acronym
- MECA
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Jan 2008
- Last updated
- 9 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Mechanisms of Exacerbation of Asthma
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00594750
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MECA / 10-01329
- Conditions
- Asthma
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: The restrictions on research imposed for the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from continuing recruitment and visits. Funding was not sufficient to continue the study.
- Enrolment
- 67 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, San FranciscoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- Study start
- May 2006 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Nov 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 5 Aug 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Jan 2008 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to identify the causes of asthma that were not previously suspected, to better understand the effects of inhaled steroids on asthma and to identify new way to treat asthma.
Detailed description
In this study, we will explore mechanisms of exacerbation in asthma by careful characterization studies in asthmatics presenting in acute severe exacerbation. Specifically, we will determine the frequency of secretor status in these subjects by blood and saliva testing, and we will also perform a detailed cellular and biochemical analysis of their airway secretions. We will collect airway secretions using two methods. One method will be to have subjects cough sputum into a clean plastic container. The other method only applies to asthmatics with near-fatal asthma requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation. In these asthmatics, we will collect airway secretions by tracheal aspirate using methods normally applied in their clinical care.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Asthma | – | –People who have been diagnosed with Asthma |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- emergency deparment, admitted patients in the ICU and inpatient wards
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Male and female subjects with a history of asthma between the ages of 18 to 75 years.
- Physician diagnosis of asthma.
- Currently experiencing an acute exacerbation of asthma. This exacerbation may be severe necessitating treatment in the emergency room, ICU, or hospital ward.
- Ability to provide informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Lung disease other than asthma.
- Females who are lactating or who are pregnant.
- Use of recreational drugs in the 1 month preceding the study.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
rheological measurements (viscosity and elasticity) in sputum from patients with acute severe asthma
Time frame: 1-2 years
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: The restrictions on research imposed for the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from continuing recruitment and visits. Funding was not sufficient to continue the study.). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Mar 2026.
- UCSF Airway Clinical Research Center websiteLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
John V Fahy, M.D., M.Sc. principal investigator
University of California, San Francisco
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Asthma, run by University of California, San Francisco at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study was stopped early (reason given: The restrictions on research imposed for the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from continuing recruitment and visits. Funding was not sufficient to continue the study.). Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
rheological measurements (viscosity and elasticity) in sputum from patients with acute severe asthma (time frame: 1-2 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Mar 2026.