Participants & Families

Thank you for making RHiNO possible

The original RHiNO study has completed recruitment, but the contribution made by children and families continues to generate new knowledge about respiratory health after preterm birth.

See what RHiNO discovered The RHiNO study

Illustration of a child carrying out spirometry with support from a parent and clinician.

A message to our participants

Every RHiNO discovery began with a family saying yes to research

Children and families gave their time for questionnaires, home and hospital visits, breathing tests, exercise assessments, treatment studies and specialist lung imaging. Many also provided biological samples and detailed health information.

To all our participants and families: thank you.

Although the original study visits finished in November 2019, the information collected through RHiNO continues to support new analyses, publications and longitudinal research.

What participation involved

The RHiNO study was carried out in several stages

Questionnaires & screening

Families provided information about respiratory symptoms, health and development.

Breathing tests

Children completed spirometry and bronchodilator testing at home or in a research facility.

Detailed lung assessment

Some children attended the research facility for more detailed physiological measurements.

Exercise & treatment research

Selected children completed exercise testing and/or the randomised inhaler trial.

Advanced lung MRI

A subgroup travelled to Sheffield for specialist radiation-free hyperpolarised-gas MRI.

What did these visits achieve?

Participation has contributed to a much broader understanding of lung health

The RHiNO cohort has supported research into lung function, exercise, inhaled treatment, advanced MRI, air pollution, biological mechanisms and the development of the prematurity-associated lung disease (PLD) phenotype framework.

The research is now increasingly asking how lung function and PLD phenotypes change through adolescence and towards adulthood.

Explore RHiNO discoveries

Illustration showing the journey from neonatal care through lung development to childhood.

Historical study documents

Original information for parents, carers and children

These documents were used while RHiNO was recruiting. They are retained as a historical study archive so participants and researchers can see exactly how the study was explained and conducted.

Part 1

Screening visit

Parent/carer information and consent, child information and assent, and screening questionnaires for preterm-born and term-born children.

Open original screening documents ↗

Part 2

Detailed assessment & inhaler trial

Information and consent/assent documents for trial participants and preterm-born and term-born control groups.

Open original trial documents ↗

Study diaries

Peak flow, symptoms & inhaler use

Historical peak-flow, symptom and inhaler diaries used during different stages of the study.

Open original diaries ↗

Part 3

Sheffield MRI visit

Parent and child information and consent/assent sheets for the advanced lung-imaging component.

Open original MRI documents ↗

Historical archive: these documents describe a study that is no longer recruiting. They should not be interpreted as current invitations to participate.

See what the tests involved