Abstract
Introduction: Little is known on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 circulation on asthma daily symptoms in children. We compared asthma exacerbations, asthma symptom control and lung function before and after SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in children.Methods: Retrospective study of children with persistent asthma referred for lung function testing. The second quarter of 2020 being a period with nearly no activity, we compared the activity between the first, third and fourth quarters of 2019 and 2020 (Q1-2019 vs. Q1-2020, Q3-2019 vs. Q3-2020 and Q4-2019 vs. Q4-2020).Results: We retrieved 1,871 files in 2019 and 1,548 in 2020. The whole population [2,165 (63.3%) boys] had a median [IQR] age of 9.7 [6.8;13.1] years. There was no difference in age, sex, and ethnicity between 2019 and 2020 populations. Asthma was better controlled during Q4-2020 compared to Q4-2019 (P = 0.042), and there was a lower proportion of children with at least one exacerbation in the previous 3 months after the reopening, compared to the same period in 2019 (P < 0.0001). Baseline FEV1 (Z-score) recorded after the reopening was significantly higher (with less reversibility) compared to the same period before the epidemic (P < 0.0001). Baseline FEV1/FVC (Z-score) was significantly higher during Q3-2020 compared to Q3-2019 (P = 0.026), with fewer children having a significant reversibility (P = 0.035).Discussion: We demonstrated a trend toward increased exacerbations just before the recognition of the epidemic, and fewer exacerbations, better asthma symptom control and improvement in the lung function of asthmatic children after the reopening.
Highlights
Little is known on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 circulation on asthma daily symptoms in children
We wished to compare asthma exacerbations, asthma symptom control and lung function in children seen in our Lung Function Test (LFT) laboratory before and after the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak
In order to take into account the variation of our activity during and after the first lockdown, we compared 2019 to 2020 activity levels excluding the second quarter of each year
Summary
Little is known on the effect of SARS-CoV-2 circulation on asthma daily symptoms in children. Asthma symptom control and lung function before and after SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in children. The dramatic decrease in Emergency Room (ER) visits for asthma exacerbations in children following the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak may not entirely reflect a decrease in the occurrence of acute symptoms since families may have given up coming to the ER in order to minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure [1,2,3]. We wished to compare asthma exacerbations, asthma symptom control and lung function in children seen in our Lung Function Test (LFT) laboratory before and after the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Childhood Asthma During SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak to asthma treatment, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic would result in lower virus circulation, reduced asthma symptoms (including exacerbations) and improved lung function
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