Respiratory Trials·org

Explaining the most important trials in respiratory medicine

89 trials across 39 topics. Every citation is checked against PubMed. Pick a therapy to see what its evidence actually showed, or start typing to search.

Topic Therapy group Therapy Effect Trial Finding
Asthma Biologics Benralizumab ABRA 2025 A single dose of benralizumab at the time of an eosinophilic exacerbation beat prednisolone
Asthma Biologics Depemokimab SWIFT 2024 Two injections a year roughly halved exacerbations in eosinophilic severe asthma
Asthma Inhaled therapy Albuterol/budesonide as needed MANDALA 2022 Adding budesonide to the albuterol reliever cut severe exacerbations by a quarter
Asthma Biologics Tezepelumab NAVIGATOR 2021 Tezepelumab halved exacerbations in severe asthma, including in patients with low eosinophils
Asthma Inhaled therapy Budesonide/formoterol as needed SYGMA 1 2018 As-needed ICS/formoterol beat reliever alone on symptoms and exacerbations, but lost to daily ICS on symptom control
Asthma Inhaled therapy Budesonide/formoterol as needed SYGMA 2 2018 As-needed ICS/formoterol matched daily ICS for exacerbations on a quarter of the steroid dose
Asthma Oral therapy Azithromycin AMAZES 2017 Azithromycin cut asthma exacerbations by 41% and improved quality of life, at the cost of diarrhoea
Asthma Inhaled therapy Tiotropium PrimoTinA-asthma 2012 Adding tiotropium to ICS/LABA gave modest bronchodilation and 21% fewer severe exacerbations
COPD Biologics Mepolizumab MATINEE 2025 Mepolizumab reduced exacerbations by 21% in eosinophilic COPD on triple therapy, without improving symptoms
COPD Oxygen Long-term oxygen therapy REDOX 2024 24 hours a day of oxygen was no better than 15 in severe hypoxaemia
COPD Biologics Dupilumab BOREAS 2023 Dupilumab cut exacerbations by 30% in eosinophilic COPD already on triple therapy
COPD Inhaled therapy Ensifentrine ENHANCE 2023 Ensifentrine improved lung function in both replicate trials and reduced exacerbations, with placebo-level tolerability
COPD Inhaled therapy Budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol ETHOS 2020 Triple therapy beat both dual therapies, and the lower steroid dose worked as well as the higher
COPD Inhaled therapy Fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol IMPACT 2018 Triple therapy reduced exacerbations versus either dual therapy, at the cost of more pneumonia
COPD Inhaled therapy Indacaterol/glycopyrronium SUNSET 2018 Stopping inhaled steroids cost a little lung function but no extra exacerbations, except in eosinophilic patients
COPD Inhaled therapy Beclometasone/formoterol/glycopyrronium TRIBUTE 2018 Extrafine triple therapy modestly reduced exacerbations versus dual bronchodilation, without excess pneumonia
COPD Inhaled therapy Indacaterol/glycopyrronium FLAME 2016 Dual bronchodilation beat LABA/ICS for exacerbation prevention, with less pneumonia
COPD Oxygen Supplemental oxygen LOTT 2016 Oxygen for moderate desaturation did nothing for survival, admissions, or quality of life
COPD Oral therapy Roflumilast REACT 2015 Roflumilast missed its primary endpoint by a whisker and hit it on the sensitivity analysis
COPD Oral therapy Azithromycin MACRO 2011 Daily azithromycin for a year cut exacerbations and improved quality of life, at the cost of hearing loss and resistance concerns
COPD Inhaled therapy Tiotropium POET-COPD 2011 Tiotropium prevented exacerbations better than salmeterol
COPD Inhaled therapy Salmeterol/fluticasone TORCH 2007 Salmeterol/fluticasone narrowly missed a mortality benefit but reduced exacerbations, at the cost of more pneumonia
COPD Surgery Lung volume reduction surgery NETT 2003 No overall survival benefit, but a real one for upper-lobe emphysema with low exercise capacity
COPD Antibiotics Broad-spectrum antibiotics Anthonisen 1987 1987 Antibiotics helped exacerbations defined by increased dyspnoea, sputum volume and purulence
COPD Oxygen Domiciliary oxygen MRC oxygen 1981 Domiciliary oxygen for at least 15 hours a day improved survival in hypoxaemic cor pulmonale
COPD Oxygen Continuous oxygen NOTT 1980 Continuous oxygen halved mortality compared with nocturnal-only oxygen in hypoxaemic COPD
Bronchiectasis Oral therapy Brensocatib ASPEN 2025 Brensocatib cut exacerbations by about 20% — the first drug licensed specifically for bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis Mucoactive therapy Hypertonic saline and carbocisteine CLEAR 2025 Neither hypertonic saline nor carbocisteine reduced exacerbations in bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis Inhaled antibiotics Colistimethate sodium PROMIS 2024 Inhaled colistimethate reduced exacerbations in one trial and not in its replicate
Bronchiectasis Oral therapy Azithromycin BAT 2013 Maintenance azithromycin roughly halved the proportion of patients having any exacerbation
Bronchiectasis Mucoactive therapy Recombinant human DNase rhDNase in bronchiectasis 1998 DNase made idiopathic bronchiectasis worse, not better
Cystic fibrosis CFTR modulators Vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor SKYLINE 2025 The once-daily triple matched the twice-daily standard on lung function
Cystic fibrosis Mucoactive therapy Hypertonic saline and dornase alfa withdrawal SIMPLIFY 2023 Patients on triple modulator therapy could stop hypertonic saline or dornase alfa without losing lung function
Cystic fibrosis CFTR modulators Elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor VX17-445-102 2019 Triple modulator therapy gave a 14-point FEV1 gain to the 90% of CF patients with a single Phe508del allele
Cystic fibrosis CFTR modulators Ivacaftor STRIVE 2011 Ivacaftor produced a 10-point FEV1 gain in G551D cystic fibrosis — the first drug to correct the basic defect
ILD Prostacyclin analogues Inhaled treprostinil TETON-2 2026 Inhaled treprostinil slowed FVC decline in IPF, in patients mostly already on antifibrotics
ILD Antifibrotics Nerandomilast FIBRONEER-ILD 2025 Nerandomilast slowed FVC decline in progressive pulmonary fibrosis, including on top of nintedanib
ILD Antifibrotics Nerandomilast FIBRONEER-IPF 2025 Nerandomilast slowed FVC decline on top of existing antifibrotics — the first genuinely additive agent in IPF
ILD Immunosuppression Methotrexate PREDMETH 2025 Methotrexate matched prednisone as first-line treatment for pulmonary sarcoidosis, with a different side-effect profile
ILD Immunosuppression Rituximab plus mycophenolate EVER-ILD 2023 Adding rituximab to mycophenolate improved lung function in NSIP-pattern ILD, with more viral infection
ILD Antifibrotics Nintedanib INBUILD 2019 Nintedanib slowed FVC decline across progressive fibrosing ILD, whatever the underlying diagnosis
ILD Antifibrotics Nintedanib SENSCIS 2019 Nintedanib slowed lung function decline in scleroderma ILD, but the result is fragile and skin disease was unchanged
ILD Antifibrotics Pirfenidone ASCEND 2014 Pirfenidone slowed FVC decline and improved progression-free survival in IPF
ILD Antifibrotics Nintedanib INPULSIS 2014 Nintedanib roughly halved the annual rate of FVC decline in IPF, at the cost of diarrhoea
PH Activin signalling inhibitors Sotatercept ZENITH 2025 Sotatercept cut death, transplant or hospitalisation by three quarters in high-risk PAH
PH Prostacyclin analogues Inhaled treprostinil INCREASE 2021 Inhaled treprostinil improved walk distance in PH due to interstitial lung disease
PH Vasodilators Ambrisentan plus tadalafil AMBITION 2015 Starting two vasodilators at once halved clinical failure compared with either alone
PE Catheter intervention Large-bore mechanical thrombectomy PEERLESS 2025 Mechanical thrombectomy beat catheter-directed lysis on a composite driven by less ICU use, with no mortality difference
PE Anticoagulation Reduced-dose direct oral anticoagulant RENOVE 2025 Reduced-dose anticoagulation failed formal non-inferiority for recurrence but bled much less
PE Mechanical prevention Retrievable IVC filter PREPIC2 2015 Adding a retrievable IVC filter to anticoagulation prevented nothing
PE Thrombolysis Tenecteplase PEITHO 2014 Thrombolysis prevented decompensation in intermediate-risk PE but caused major bleeding and stroke
PE Thrombolysis Alteplase MAPPET-3 2002 Alteplase reduced treatment escalation in submassive PE, but the benefit was almost entirely in that soft endpoint
Pneumonia Corticosteroids Hydrocortisone CAPE COD 2023 Hydrocortisone roughly halved 28-day mortality in severe community-acquired pneumonia
Pneumonia Antibiotics Short-course antibiotics PneumA 2003 Eight days of antibiotics matched fifteen for ventilator-associated pneumonia, except in non-fermenting gram-negatives
COVID-19 Antivirals Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir EPIC-HR 2022 Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir cut hospitalisation or death by 89% in unvaccinated high-risk outpatients
COVID-19 Corticosteroids Dexamethasone RECOVERY dexamethasone 2021 Dexamethasone reduced mortality in COVID-19 patients needing oxygen, and not in those who did not
COVID-19 Immunomodulators Tocilizumab or sarilumab REMAP-CAP IL-6 2021 IL-6 receptor blockade improved organ support-free days and survival in critical COVID-19
COVID-19 Anticoagulation Therapeutic-dose heparin REMAP-CAP anticoagulation 2021 Full-dose anticoagulation did not help critically ill COVID-19 patients
COVID-19 Antivirals Remdesivir ACTT-1 2020 Remdesivir shortened time to recovery by five days without a clear mortality benefit
Lung cancer Surgery Sublobar resection CALGB 140503 2023 Sublobar resection matched lobectomy for small peripheral node-negative lung cancers
Lung cancer Screening Volume CT screening NELSON 2020 Volume CT screening reduced lung cancer mortality with a 2.1% referral rate
Lung cancer Screening Low-dose CT screening NLST 2011 Low-dose CT screening reduced lung cancer mortality — at the cost of a 96% false-positive rate
Pleural disease Pleural intervention Conservative management PSP 2020 Most primary spontaneous pneumothoraces resolved without any intervention, though the non-inferiority result is fragile
Pleural disease Pleural intervention Ambulatory device RAMPP 2020 Ambulatory devices sent most patients home the same day, but caused more adverse events
Pleural disease Pleural intervention Talc poudrage TAPPS 2020 Talc poudrage at thoracoscopy was no better than talc slurry down a chest drain
Pleural disease Pleural intervention Pleural manometry Pleural manometry 2019 Manometry during large-volume drainage did not reduce chest discomfort
Pleural disease Pleural intervention Indwelling pleural catheter AMPLE 2017 Indwelling pleural catheters kept patients out of hospital more than talc pleurodesis
Pleural disease Intrapleural therapy Alteplase plus DNase MIST2 2011 Combined t-PA and DNase improved drainage and cut surgical referral; neither drug worked alone
Sleep medicine Weight-loss pharmacotherapy Tirzepatide SURMOUNT-OSA 2024 Tirzepatide halved the apnoea-hypopnoea index in obese patients with OSA
Sleep medicine Positive airway pressure CPAP SAVE 2016 CPAP did not prevent cardiovascular events, though it treated the apnoea and improved symptoms
Sleep medicine Positive airway pressure Adaptive servo-ventilation SERVE-HF 2015 Adaptive servo-ventilation abolished the central apnoeas and increased mortality
Sleep medicine Neurostimulation Upper-airway stimulation STAR 2014 Hypoglossal nerve stimulation cut the AHI by two thirds — in an uncontrolled cohort
Sleep medicine Positive airway pressure CPAP Barbe 2012 2012 CPAP did not significantly reduce incident hypertension or cardiovascular events in non-sleepy OSA
Smoking cessation Nicotine delivery E-cigarettes TEC 2019 E-cigarettes nearly doubled one-year quit rates compared with nicotine replacement
Smoking cessation Behavioural intervention Smoking cessation programme Lung Health Study 2005 A cessation programme that worked for one in five participants still reduced all-cause mortality over 14.5 years
ARDS Corticosteroids Dexamethasone DEXA-ARDS 2020 Dexamethasone reduced ventilator days and mortality in established moderate-to-severe ARDS
ARDS Oxygen Conservative oxygen targets LOCO2 2020 Targeting a low PaO2 in ARDS did not help and raised safety concerns
ARDS Sedation and paralysis Cisatracurium ROSE 2019 Routine early paralysis added nothing when the comparator was lighter sedation
ARDS Extracorporeal support Veno-venous ECMO EOLIA 2018 Immediate ECMO did not significantly beat conventional ventilation with ECMO held in reserve
ARDS Ventilator strategy Recruitment manoeuvres with titrated PEEP ART 2017 Aggressive recruitment with titrated PEEP increased mortality
ARDS Ventilator strategy Prone positioning PROSEVA 2013 Prone positioning halved mortality in severe ARDS
ARDS Sedation and paralysis Cisatracurium ACURASYS 2010 Early cisatracurium improved adjusted 90-day survival in severe ARDS
ARDS Extracorporeal support Referral to an ECMO centre CESAR 2009 Referral to an ECMO centre improved 6-month survival without disability in severe respiratory failure
ARDS Ventilator strategy Low tidal volume ventilation ARMA 2000 Ventilating at 6 mL/kg instead of 12 cut ARDS mortality from 40% to 31%
Ventilation & weaning Weaning strategy Pressure-support spontaneous breathing trial TIP-EX 2022 Pressure support and T-piece breathing trials produced the same ventilator-free days
Ventilation & weaning Oxygen delivery High-flow nasal oxygen FLORALI 2015 High-flow oxygen did not reduce intubation but was associated with lower 90-day mortality
Ventilation & weaning Non-invasive ventilation CPAP or bilevel NIV 3CPO 2008 Non-invasive ventilation made patients with pulmonary oedema feel better faster without saving lives
Ventilation & weaning Weaning strategy Paired sedation interruption and breathing trial Wake up and breathe 2008 Pairing daily sedation interruption with a breathing trial got patients off ventilators sooner and improved survival
Ventilation & weaning Non-invasive ventilation Non-invasive ventilation Brochard 1995 1995 Non-invasive ventilation cut intubation, length of stay and mortality in COPD exacerbations

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