Abstract
BackgroundSickle cell disease (SCD) patients with asthma have an increased rate of vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and acute chest syndrome (ACS) episodes when compared to those without asthma. We hypothesized that either asthma diagnosis or bronchodilator treatment might aggravate SCD via their modulating effect on the autonomic nervous system (ANS).MethodsCross-sectional evaluation of heart rate variability (HRV) during pulmonary function tests, including salbutamol administration, in children with SCD receiving asthma treatment or not when compared to asthmatic children without SCD matched for ethnicity.ResultsSCD children with asthma (n = 30, median age of 12.9 years old) were characterized by a reduced FEV1/FVC ratio, an increased bronchodilator response, and a greater incidence of VOC and ACS when compared to SCD children without asthma (n = 30, 12.7 years). Children with asthma without SCD (n = 29, 11.4 years) were characterized by a higher exhaled NO fraction than SCD children. SCD children when compared to non-SCD children showed reduced HRV [total power, low (LF) and high (HF, vagal tone) frequencies], which was further worsened by salbutamol administration in all the groups: reduction in total power and HF with an increase in LF/HF ratio. After salbutamol, the LF/HF ratio of the SCD children was higher than that of the non-SCD children. The two groups of SCD children were similar, suggesting that asthma diagnosis per se did not modify ANS functions.ConclusionSCD children are characterized by impaired parasympathetic control and sympathetic overactivity that is worsened by salbutamol administration.Clinical Trial Registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04062409.
Highlights
Asthma diagnosis in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients is associated with worse prognosis, i.e., increased morbidity and mortality (Glassberg et al, 2014)
SCD children with asthma (n = 30, median age of 12.9 years old) were characterized by a reduced FEV1/FVC ratio, an increased bronchodilator response, and a greater incidence of vasoocclusive crisis (VOC) and acute chest syndrome (ACS) when compared to SCD children without asthma (n = 30, 12.7 years)
Children with asthma without SCD (n = 29, 11.4 years) were characterized by a higher exhaled nitric oxide (NO) fraction than SCD children
Summary
Asthma diagnosis in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients is associated with worse prognosis, i.e., increased morbidity and mortality (Glassberg et al, 2014). The use of beta2-agonists in children with SCD and asthma confounds interpretation of whether asthma or asthma treatment is associated with worse SCD as measured by incident acute chest syndrome (ACS) and vasoocclusive crisis (VOC). In the study by Glassberg et al, including 74 SCD children, painful episodes with adequate documentation of respiratory symptoms were more frequently preceded by respiratory symptoms in the group with asthma when compared with those without asthma (Glassberg et al, 2006). Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients with asthma have an increased rate of vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and acute chest syndrome (ACS) episodes when compared to those without asthma. We hypothesized that either asthma diagnosis or bronchodilator treatment might aggravate SCD via their modulating effect on the autonomic nervous system (ANS)
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