PREterm Infants With Bronchial Obstruction - Prospective Study of Efficacy and Safety of Inhaled Tiotropium

Overview

The purpose of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of inhaled tiotropium bromide (Spiriva Respimat) in preterm-born children and adolescents suffering from chronic bronchial obstruction. Preterm infants often experience persistent narrowing of the airways, which leads to shortness of breath, chronic respiratory symptoms, and reduced exercise tolerance. Tiotropium is a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) that helps dilate the airways and facilitate breathing. While this medication is already approved for pediatric patients aged 6 years and older with severe asthma, its efficacy and safety have not yet been validated in the specific population of preterm infants with bronchial obstruction. This study aims to fill this clinical knowledge gap. This is a non-commercial, monocentric, prospective, randomized, open-label, phase IV study utilizing a 2x2 crossover design. The trial will enroll 50 participants aged 6 to 18 years. Each participant will undergo two distinct 3-month phases: a treatment period with daily inhaled tiotropium (5 µg once daily) and a control observation period without long-term anticholinergic therapy. The sequence of these periods will be randomly assigned to each participant. The primary objective is to demonstrate lung function improvement by evaluating the change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) expressed in liters and Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) expressed in liters between the treatment and control periods. No blood samples or invasive procedures are required for this study.

This clinical trial is designed as an investigator-initiated, academic, phase IV, randomized, open-label, 2x2 crossover study to evaluate the response to inhaled tiotropium bromide in children and adolescents born prematurely who suffer from chronic bronchial obstruction. The study consists of two different sequences: * Sequence A (Treatment first): Participants receive inhaled tiotropium (5 µg once daily via Spiriva Respimat) for 3 months, followed by a 4-week washout period, and subsequently undergo a 3-month control observation period under standard treatment. * Sequence B (Control first): Participants start with a 3-month control observation period under standard treatment, followed immediately (without a washout period) by a 3-month treatment period with daily inhaled tiotropium. Clinical and spirometric assessments (including Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second in liters - FEV₁, Forced Vital Capacity in liters - FVC, Peak Expiratory Flow in liters per second - PEF, Forced Expiratory Flow between 25% and 75% of FVC in liters per second - FEF₂₅-₇₅ parameters) will be performed at baseline, at the crossover point (end of the first period), and at the end of the study (end of the second period). Participants or their parents will maintain daily diaries to log respiratory symptoms, rescue medication - short-acting beta₂-agonist (SABA) use, and potential acute exacerbations throughout the trial.