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Could a 3-Day steroid fix Kids' sleep apnea?

NCT ID NCT05638087

Symptom relief Sponsor: The Hospital for Sick Children Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether a short course of the steroid dexamethasone can reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea in children aged 2 to 10. Ten children with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea received either the drug or a placebo for three days. The goal was to see if the steroid could improve breathing during sleep and reduce related symptoms.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Dexamethasone (an oral steroid)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a short-term treatment to reduce sleep apnea severity in children without surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a very small trial (10 children) testing only a 3-day course. The effect may be minimal or temporary, and steroids have side effects.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 3

Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.

Participants

10 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Oct 2022

Finished

Dec 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

2 to 10 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Polysomnogram diagnosed with moderate to severe Obstructive sleep apnea (OAHI \>5 events/hour) * Aged 2-10 years * Presence of adenotonsillar hypertrophy * Ability to take oral medication and be willing to adhere to the dosing regimen * Informed consent provided in accordance with institutional policies Exclusion Criteria: * Previous adenotonsillectomy * Presence of symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection * Co-existing central sleep apnea * Hypertension * Prior or current evidence for abnormal glucose tolerance * Contraindication for dexamethasone or components of dexamethasone oral suspension, * Treatment with nasal or systemic corticosteroids within 4 weeks prior to the intervention * OSA with associated oxygen desaturations \<90% for 2 continuous minutes * Need for non-invasive ventilation long-term due to underlying disease * Current systemic fungal infections * Patients with clinically relevant varicella exposure

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Obstructive sleep apnea

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • The Hospital for Sick Children

    Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1X8, Canada

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