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APRIL - Azithromycin for Preventing the development of upper Respiratory tract Illness into Lower respiratory tract symptoms

OCELOT - Oral Corticosteroids for treating Episodes of significant LOwer respiratory Tract symptoms in children

The APRIL/OCELOT study is two studies in one looking at preventing coughing or wheezing symptoms in children when they have colds. This study is being conducted by Dr. Michael Cabana, Dr. Ngoc Ly and Dr. Shannon Thyne at UCSF and is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes. APRIL, the first part of the study, will see if giving a commonly prescribed antibiotic at the beginning of a cold will prevent symptoms from getting worse and developing into more severe symptoms like wheezing. Parents will identify their child’s first cold symptoms and start the APRIL treatment (either Azithromycin or a placebo given once daily for 5 days along with albuterol).

After APRIL treatment, if symptoms do not improve, or get worse, the child will move into the second part of the study called OCELOT. The OCELOT study will investigate if giving a commonly prescribed oral steroid treatment will help the child get better faster after a severe wheezing or asthma attack.  Some participants may never receive the OCELOT treatment.