Tracks children in Switzerland with breathing, wheezing and cough problems
Follows children with recurrent wheeze, cough or breathing problems through routine care over time.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort
Key facts
- Where
- Aarau, Basel, Bern, Chur, Horgen, Lausanne, Lucerne, Sankt Gallen, Worb, and Zurich, SwitzerlandSee the 11 sites
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 0 and 16 years old?
Source: NCT03505216, who can take part
Where in Switzerland
- Children's hospital AarauAarau, SwitzerlandNo longer taking part
- University Children's Hospital Basel (UKBB)Basel, SwitzerlandTaking people
- Institute of Social and Preventive MedicineBern, SwitzerlandTaking people
- University Children's Hospital Bern, InselspitalBern, SwitzerlandTaking people
- Children's Hospital ChurChur, SwitzerlandTaking people
- Pulmonology clinic, HorgenHorgen, SwitzerlandTaking people
- University Children's hospital Lausane, CHUVLausanne, SwitzerlandTaking people
- Children's hospital LucerneLucerne, SwitzerlandTaking people
- Children's hospital St. GallenSankt Gallen, SwitzerlandNo longer taking part
- Pulmonology clinic, WorbWorb, SwitzerlandTaking people
- University Children's Hospital ZurichZurich, SwitzerlandTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University of Bern
- Trial code
- NCT03505216
- Record updated
- 21 April 2026
- Original description
The Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort (SPAC) is a national, prospective clinical cohort of children and adolescents who visit physicians in Switzerland for recurrent wheeze, cough, and exercise- or sleep-related respiratory problems. SPAC aims to answer important questions on clinical phenotypes, prognosis, diagnosis and treatment. SPAC is part of routine care, and only clinically indicated investigations are done. The comprehensive baseline assessment includes a detailed questionnaire to families, plus test results, diagnoses and treatments from hospital records. Follow-up is via monthly questionnaires the first 12 months and thereafter annual questionnaires to families, and data from follow-up visits.Read full original descriptionShow less
Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort
The Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort (SPAC) is a national, prospective clinical cohort of children and adolescents who visit physicians in Switzerland for recurrent wheeze, cough, and exercise- or sleep-related respiratory problems. SPAC aims to answer important questions on clinical phenotypes, prognosis, diagnosis and treatment. SPAC is part of routine care, and only clinically indicated investigations are done. The comprehensive baseline assessment includes a detailed questionnaire to families, plus test results, diagnoses and treatments from hospital records. Follow-up is via monthly questionnaires the first 12 months and thereafter annual questionnaires to families, and data from follow-up visits.
Currently, 4344 patients from 10 clinics and hospitals in Switzerland (Aarau, Basel, Bern, Chur, Horgen, Lausanne, Luzern, St. Gallen, Worb, Zurich) have been enrolled.
SPAC provides real-life data on children visiting the Swiss health care system for common respiratory problems. It will provide a research platform for health services research, and for nested clinical and transitional studies.
Publications and plain language summaries are listed on the study website: https://www.spac-study.ch/publikationen/
Inclusion: Children and adolescents aged 0-16 years; Resident in Switzerland; Seen in a paediatric pulmonary outpatient clinic due to respiratory problems; Parents and patients above age 14 must be able to sign an informed consent form.
Exclusion: Prior diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, severe heart disease, oncological disease, neuromuscular disease or severe disability.