Wheezing and cardiovascular abnormalities in children

Abstract

Wheezing in children is a common problem.Approximately 30 percent of infants will have at least one wheezing episode.Although asthma is the condition most commonly associated with wheezing, the high prevalence of wheezing as a common presenting complaint requires consideration of a broad and age-dependent differential diseases.A high index of suspicion of cardiovascular anatomic anomalies should be maintained in infants and children with recurrent wheezing and minimal improvement despite reasonable treatment.Compression of the pediatric airway is a relatively common and often unrecognized complication of a variety of cardiovascular diseases.The most common congenital ano-malies associated with airway compression are the vascular rings.Vascular ring abnormalities are aortic arches abnormalities, aberrant left pulmonary artery (pulmonary sling) or aberrant innominate artery (innominate artery syndrome). Aortic arches abnormalities include double aortic arch, right/left sided aortic arch with ligamentum arteriosum and aberrant left subclavian artery or cervical aortic arch.Other rare reasons could cause the compression of airway are absent pulmonary valve, aneurysm, left atrial enlargement or massive cardiomegaly.Imaging techniques are usually required for diagnosis.First-tier evaluation of the child with recurrent wheeze should include a chest radiograph.Echocardiography, multi detector computed tomography (MDCT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are performed as the diagnostic pathway.Bronchoscopy is currently the techniques to assess the degree of bronchial malacia and narrowing in pre-operation.Treatment of these abnormalities usually is surgical. Key words: Wheezing; Cardiovascular diseases; Vascular rings; Child