STAR Study

Research area: Clinical Sciences > Emergency Research

The challenge

Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood and a leading cause of emergency department presentations. In preschool‑aged children, wheeze is commonly managed in the same way as asthma in older children. For moderate or severe episodes, this typically includes a three‑day course of oral steroid medication.

Recent evidence suggests that wheeze in preschool children is often a short‑lived illness. This raises the possibility that many children may require only a single day of oral steroid treatment rather than the currently recommended three‑day course.

About the study

The Steroids in Preschool Asthma Reduction (STAR) study aims to determine whether a shorter course of oral steroids delivers comparable clinical outcomes to the current standard treatment. The study compares respiratory outcomes in preschool children with wheeze treated with one day versus three days of oral steroid medication.

Why this study matters

If the STAR Study demonstrates that a one‑day course of oral steroid is as effective as a three‑day course, treatment for preschool wheeze could be simplified. A shorter course would reduce children’s exposure to steroids and substantially lower the risk of steroid‑related side effects.

This is particularly important for children who experience recurrent episodes of wheeze and may receive multiple courses of oral steroids each year.

Study design

The STAR study is a phase III, prospective, multi‑centre, double‑blind, non‑inferiority randomised controlled trial comparing one day versus three days of oral prednisolone in preschool children with wheeze.

Researchers

• Lead researcher: Dr Alexandra Wallace, Chief Principle Investigator, University of Auckland
• Project member: Julia Laing, PhD Candidate, University of Auckland
  
  

Funding & collaborations

Thanks to our key partners, funders, and supporters.

This study is in collaboration with the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network.

Funders

• Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC 25/332)
• National Health and Medical Research Council Centres of Research Excellence
• Cure Kids
• Lottery Health NZ
• Starship Foundation
• Auckland Medical Research Foundation
• Fisher and Paykel Healthcare Foundation

Contact us

For more information about the STAR study, please contact us.

Dr Alexandra Wallace, Chief Principle Investigator
Email: [email protected]

Professor Franz Babl, Group Leader, Emergency Research, MCRI
Email: [email protected]