Asthma

Equipment to assess lung function at the divisional pulmonary function laboratory

General Information on Asthma

Asthma is probably the most common respiratory disease in the developed world. In the United States, the prevalence of asthma is currently estimated at around 6%, which translates to one in fifteen people as having the disease, including 4.8 million children under the age of 18. It is the seventh-ranking chronic condition in our nation.

Both asthma morbidity and asthma mortality have increased in recent years. From 1979 to 1992, mortality increased by 56%, the number of cases increased by 66%, and the hospital discharge rate increased 17%. Because of this trend, there has been a growing awareness among research funding agencies and research arms of the pharmaceutical industry and health care agencies to distribute management guidelines. As an example, the NHLBI in collaboration with the WHO has published a document entitled "Global Initiative for Asthma" which outlines the current state of the art in asthma recognition and treatment.

Our group includes both clinicians and scientists who have a special interest in the study and management of asthma. The strong commitment to asthma care and research has established the University of Miami, School of Medicine as a referral center for patients suffering from this disease.

Clinical research is critical to understanding diseases and improving treatment options. A clinical research trial uses volunteers to answer specific questions about a medication. These studies help medical researchers and pharmaceutical companies develop new and improved therapies for human diseases. Participation in such trials is strictly voluntary. People choose to participate for a variety of reasons; to further science, to obtain medical care or education about their disease, or to gain access to highly sought after physicians or specialists. Most of our clinical asthma trials are part of trials conducted through the American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Center (ACRC) network. The goal of the ALA ACRC network is to develop practical, large, and simple clinical trials that will provide useful information about asthma and will benefit patients directly. The centers are an integral part of the ALA’s overall mission to administer donated funds in support of research.

Research/Clinical Trials for Asthma Treatment

Our Asthma Clinical Research Center always seeks volunteers for clinical research studies in asthma. We are currently enrolling in the following projects. For more information click here.

If you wish to participate in any of these trials, please call:305-243-2568Note: information is subject to change.