The SABRE Trial of Hypertonic Saline in Acute Bronchiolitis (SABRE)
Hypertonic Saline in Acute Bronchiolitis: Randomised Controlled Trial and Economic Evaluation
Acute bronchiolitis is a common, distressing illness affecting children. A virus infects the lungs, and then the airways become blocked, leading to difficulties with breathing. It is the most common reason why children are admitted to hospital, with 1-3% of all children admitted to hospital during their first winter, creating enormous strains on NHS services. The majority of those admitted with the condition are under six months of age and the associated stress for parents is considerable. After forty years of research the best treatment we have is supportive care and oxygen.
Recent research suggests that salt water, sprayed as a mist so that the children can breathe it in ('nebulised 3% hypertonic saline') might help children with acute bronchiolitis. Scientists think that the salt water changes the mucus which blocks the airways so that it can be cleared more easily. Three small research studies all suggested that a child's time in hospital could be reduced by a quarter by using this treatment. If this was true, it would be good for children, their families and the children's wards trying to cope with the large numbers admitted with bronchiolitis every year.
To decide whether this treatment should be used throughout the NHS, we need to run a randomised controlled trial of hypertonic saline in a large number of children. The trial will tell us if adding saline to usual care reduces distress in both children and parents, as well as whether it reduces the length of time they stay in hospital. We will then know if the treatment is the best thing for children with bronchiolitis and whether it provides the NHS with good value for money.
Study Overview
Status
Status
Conditions
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Intervention / Treatment
Study Type
Study Type
Enrollment (Actual)
Enrollment
Phase
Phase
- Phase 3
Contacts and Locations
Study Locations
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Merseyside
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Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom, L12 2AP
- Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust Hospital
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North Staffordshire
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Stoke, North Staffordshire, United Kingdom, ST4 6QG
- University Hospital of North Staffordshire
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South Wales
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Cardiff, South Wales, United Kingdom, CF14 4XW
- University Hospital of Wales
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South Yorkshire
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Doncaster, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, DN2 5LT
- Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Rotherham, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, S60 2UD
- Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
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Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, S10 2TH
- Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust
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West Yorkshire
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Bradford, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, BD9 6RJ
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Halifax, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
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Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, LS1 3EX
- Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
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Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Genders Eligible for Study
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Previously healthy infants under 1 year of age
- Admitted to hospital with a clinical diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis, following the UK definition of an infant with an apparent viral respiratory tract infection associated with airways obstruction manifest by hyperinflation, tachypnoea and subcostal recession with widespread crepitations on auscultation
- Requiring supplemental oxygen therapy on admission
Exclusion Criteria:
- Wheezy bronchitis or asthma - children with an apparent viral respiratory infection and wheeze with no or occasional crepitations
- Previous lower respiratory tract infections
- Risk factors for severe disease [gestation <32 weeks, immunodeficiency, neurological and cardiac conditions, chronic lung disease]
- Subjects where the carer's English is not fluent and translational services are not available
- Requiring admission to high dependency or intensive care units at the time of recruitment
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Treatment
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
Number of Arms
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / ArmParticipant Group / Arm |
Intervention / TreatmentIntervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
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Active Comparator: hypertonic saline and usual care
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4 ml dose to be administered every 6 hours
Other Names:
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Active Comparator: usual care (oxygen therapy)
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4 ml dose to be administered every 6 hours
Other Names:
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What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Time to 'fit for discharge'
Time Frame: This was judged to be when the infant was feeding adequately [taking >75% of usual intake] and was in air with a saturation of at least 92% for 6 hours, to reflect clinical practice.
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The primary objective was an analysis, to show if the addition of 3% hypertonic saline to usual care results in significant [25%] reduction in the duration of hospitalisation of infants admitted with acute bronchiolitis.
This outcome was measured at 6 hourly intervals, with the first evaluation at time of randomisation.
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This was judged to be when the infant was feeding adequately [taking >75% of usual intake] and was in air with a saturation of at least 92% for 6 hours, to reflect clinical practice.
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Secondary Outcome Measures
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
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Actual time to discharge
Time Frame: This was measured from time to randomisation to the discharge time according to routine clinical guidelines.
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The secondary objectives were assessments of the economic impact of such an intervention on both the NHS and parents, as well as quality of life and other health related outcomes assessed 28 days after entry to the study.
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This was measured from time to randomisation to the discharge time according to routine clinical guidelines.
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Readmission
Time Frame: Within 28 days from randomisation
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The secondary objectives were assessments of the economic impact of such an intervention on both the NHS and parents, as well as quality of life and other health related outcomes assessed 28 days after entry to the study.
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Within 28 days from randomisation
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health care utilisation
Time Frame: post-discharge and within 28 days from randomisation
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The secondary objectives were assessments of the economic impact of such an intervention on both the NHS and parents, as well as quality of life and other health related outcomes assessed 28 days after entry to the study
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post-discharge and within 28 days from randomisation
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duration of respiratory symptoms
Time Frame: post discharge and within 28 days from randomisation
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The secondary objectives were assessments of the economic impact of such an intervention on both the NHS and parents, as well as quality of life and other health related outcomes assessed 28 days after entry to the study
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post discharge and within 28 days from randomisation
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Infant and parental quality of life using the Infant Toddler Quality of Life (ITQoL) questionnaire
Time Frame: 28 days following randomisation.
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The secondary objectives were assessments of the economic impact of such an intervention on both the NHS and parents, as well as quality of life and other health related outcomes assessed 28 days after entry to the study
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28 days following randomisation.
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Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Sponsor
Collaborators
Collaborators
Publications and helpful links
General Publications
- Everard ML, Hind D, Ugonna K, Freeman J, Bradburn M, Dixon S, Maguire C, Cantrill H, Alexander J, Lenney W, McNamara P, Elphick H, Chetcuti PA, Moya EF, Powell C, Garside JP, Chadha LK, Kurian M, Lehal RS, MacFarlane PI, Cooper CL, Cross E. Saline in acute bronchiolitis RCT and economic evaluation: hypertonic saline in acute bronchiolitis - randomised controlled trial and systematic review. Health Technol Assess. 2015 Aug;19(66):1-130. doi: 10.3310/hta19660.
- Everard ML, Hind D, Ugonna K, Freeman J, Bradburn M, Cooper CL, Cross E, Maguire C, Cantrill H, Alexander J, McNamara PS; SABRE Study Team. SABRE: a multicentre randomised control trial of nebulised hypertonic saline in infants hospitalised with acute bronchiolitis. Thorax. 2014 Dec;69(12):1105-12. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2014-205953.
Helpful Links
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start
Study Start
Primary Completion (Actual)
Primary Completion
Study Completion (Actual)
Study Completion
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Estimate)
First Posted
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Estimate)
Last Update Posted
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
Other Study ID Numbers
Other Study ID Numbers
- SCH/1/016
- HTA09/91/22 (Other Grant/Funding Number: NHS NIHR HTA)
This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.
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