RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

A Randomised Feasibility Study of CPAP in Large Airway Collapse

This study is testing if a treatment called CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) might help people who have a breathing condition called Large Airway Collapse (LAC). LAC is when your main breathing tubes become weak or floppy, often mistaken for asthma. There isn't a standard treatment for it yet. Small studies suggest CPAP might help by gently holding the airways open, making breathing easier and reducing flare-ups. This study isn't about giving medical advice, but rather to find out if it's possible and useful to run a larger study on CPAP for LAC in the future, to help improve treatment options for people in the UK and worldwide.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Enrolment target

Start

20 Apr 2026

Estimated completion

01 Sep 2028

Large Airway Collapse Asthma

What is this study about?

Large Airway Collapse (LAC) is a condition where the main breathing tubes in your lungs become weak or floppy, either because the walls bow in or the support structures aren't strong enough. It's often confused with other breathing problems like asthma, as symptoms such as breathlessness, coughing, and wheezing are very similar. Because of this, LAC can sometimes be missed or wrongly diagnosed, and there isn't a standard way to treat it yet.

At the moment, treatments for LAC are quite limited. However, some smaller studies have hinted that a breathing device called CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) might be helpful. CPAP works by delivering a gentle stream of air through a mask, which acts like a 'pneumatic splint' – think of it as a soft brace that gently holds your airways open. This could make it easier to breathe, help clear mucus, and potentially reduce flare-ups of symptoms, improving your quality of life.

This particular study is called a 'feasibility study'. This means it's not trying to prove CPAP is definitely a treatment for LAC yet. Instead, its main aim is to see if it's practical and possible to carry out a much larger study in the future. We want to understand if people with LAC find CPAP acceptable and if a bigger, more comprehensive trial would work well. The goal is to gather good evidence that can eventually help doctors make better recommendations for people with LAC, both here in the UK and around the world.

Key takeaways

This study explores if CPAP could be a future treatment for Large Airway Collapse (LAC).
LAC is a breathing condition often mistaken for asthma.
CPAP works by gently holding airways open, potentially easing breathing.
This is a 'feasibility study' to check if a larger trial is possible, not to prove CPAP works yet.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive CPAP or continue usual care.
Your involvement helps improve future treatments for LAC.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be an adult, aged 18 or over. You must have already been diagnosed with Large Airway Collapse (LAC) – this diagnosis would have been confirmed by special scans or a procedure called a bronchoscopy.

It's important that any other long-term breathing conditions you have, like asthma, are stable and being managed well by your doctor. Also, you must have had at least one flare-up of your breathing problems in the last year that needed antibiotics or steroid tablets.

There are also some reasons why you wouldn't be able to join. For example, if your doctor has told you that you shouldn't use CPAP, or if you already use a CPAP machine at home. You also can't join if you have a condition called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSAS) that needs CPAP, or if you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant in the next year.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Have you been diagnosed with Large Airway Collapse (LAC) by a doctor?
Are any other breathing conditions (like asthma) stable and well-managed?
Have you needed antibiotics or steroid tablets for a breathing flare-up in the last year?
Are you currently NOT using a CPAP machine at home?
Are you NOT pregnant or planning to be in the next 12 months?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, you'll be assigned by chance (like flipping a coin) to either use a CPAP machine or continue with your usual care. This is a 'randomised' study, meaning neither you nor the researchers choose which group you're in, to keep things fair. If you're in the CPAP group, you'll learn how to use the machine at home.

Throughout the study, you'll have several visits or check-ins with the study team. These will involve various assessments, which might include questionnaires about your symptoms and quality of life, breathing tests, and possibly some physical checks. The study aims to follow participants over a certain period to see how they're doing. The exact number of visits and the full duration of your participation will be explained in detail by the study team, but it's designed to gather enough information to help plan a larger future study.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in any study has potential benefits and risks. You might not directly benefit from taking part, but you would be helping researchers learn more about Large Airway Collapse and potentially improve treatments for others in the future. If you receive CPAP, you might find your breathing symptoms improve, but there's also a chance you might experience side effects like skin irritation from the mask or dryness. All possible side effects will be explained fully. Remember, your participation is completely voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

The Royal Liverpool Hospital
Verified postcode
Liverpool, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is Large Airway Collapse (LAC)?

LAC is a condition where the main breathing tubes in your lungs become weak or floppy, making it harder to breathe, often causing cough and wheeze.

What is CPAP?

CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It's a machine that delivers a gentle stream of air through a mask to help keep your airways open while you breathe.

Will I definitely get CPAP if I join?

Not necessarily. This is a 'randomised' study, so you'll be put into one of two groups by chance: either using CPAP or continuing with your usual care.

Why is this called a 'feasibility' study?

It's a feasibility study because we're not trying to prove CPAP is a treatment yet. We're testing if it's practical and possible to do a much larger study on CPAP for LAC in the future.

What if I change my mind during the study?

You are free to leave the study at any time, for any reason, and your medical care will not be affected.

How to find out more

Rebecca Nightingale Dr Nightingale, PhD

rebecca.nightingale@lstmed.ac.uk +441517053100 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.