Nocturnal Wheeze Research Articles

A tale of noisy airways: Asthma or not?

A young female in her early twenties presented with complaints of sneezing, nocturnal dry cough, chest tightness and occasional nocturnal wheeze. She reported occasional reflux symptoms. She denied loss of weight, loss of appetite or fever.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Related Events are Associated with Asthma Symptoms in Children

ObjectiveTo examine the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and related events and asthma symptom burden in children. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study of baseline data from 147 participants with asthma from a cohort of children enrolled in the Pediatric ACEs Screening and Resiliency Study. Participants completed the PEdiatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener (PEARLS) tool, a 17-item questionnaire, capturing 3 domains of childhood adversity—child maltreatment, household challenges, and social context. Asthma symptom burden was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood core questionnaire, which asks participants to identify the presence and frequency of severe wheezing that limits speech, wheezing with exercise, nocturnal wheezing, and nocturnal cough in the last 12 months. Using multivariable logistical regression models, we examined the relationship between reported PEARLS and asthma symptoms. ResultsOf children with asthma, 86% reported at least 1 adversity, with 48% reporting 4 or more. The odds of severe wheeze limiting speech increased by 19% with each additional reported adversity captured by the PEARLS tool (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.01–1.41). Increasing PEARLS scores were also associated with 16% increased odds of reporting wheeze with exercise (95% CI 1.03–1.31). Wheezing with exercise was associated with the household challenges domain (odds ratio (OR) 1.34; 95% CI 1.05–1.72), while severe wheeze limiting speech was associated with the social context domain (OR 1.75; 95%CI 1.02–3.02). ConclusionsChildhood adversities are associated with increased asthma symptom burden, suggesting the tool may be helpful in identifying children at risk for poorly controlled asthma.

Misleading wheeze in a case of atypical large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of lung - A deadly variety

Neuroendocrine tumors are neoplasms arising from cells of endocrine and nervous system containing special secretory granules with biogenic amines and polypeptide hormones. One of the varieties that occurs commonly in the lung is large cell neuro endocrine carcinoma. The replicative potential of these neuroendocrine malignancies is so rapid that the patients usually present with metastatic disease. We describe a case of 29-year-old-male presented with nocturnal wheeze which led on to a misdiagnosis of bronchial asthma and finally found to be LCNEC with endobronchial obstruction. They are usually peripherally located lesions, mostly in the upper lung zones of an elderly male smoker. But he had a hilar mass with right lower lobe collapse due to endobronchial obstruction. Hence careful examination of wheeze whether unilateral or bilateral, monophonic or polyphonic, random or fixed, inspiratory or expiratory or biphasic may help in early identification of the endobronchial lesions.

S3567 No Barrett's, No Way! A Case of De novo Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Introduction: Instances of esophageal adenocarcinoma have been increasing at a more drastic rate in the United States and Western Europe in recent years. This calls for more aggressive and comprehensive screening processes for patients with chronic reflux and for those found to have Barrett’s esophagus. Barrett’s esophagus is widely accepted as a precursor to adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, but this case provides a caveat to this rule of thumb. Case Description/Methods: This is a case of a 63-year-old woman who initially presented with severe GERD and was complaining of reflux and regurgitation, as well as nocturnal coughing and wheezing. An endoscopy was conducted revealing LA class 3 esophagitis, a large hiatal hernia, and a distal esophageal inflammatory nodule. The patient was treated aggressively with a combination of a daily PPI and a nightly H2RA. A three-month follow-up endoscopy revealed improvement of her esophagitis, which was downgraded to LA class 1. There was no evidence of Barrett’s esophagus, and the esophageal nodule had healed. Despite this treatment plan the patient was still complaining of regurgitation. An upper GI series revealed a 5 cm hiatal hernia with reflux on water siphon test and valsalva maneuver. Subsequently, a laparoscopic partial fundoplication was performed with complete resolution of all symptoms and successful discontinuance of all acid suppression medications. 2 and ½ years later the patient presented with new onset dysphasia. An upper endoscopy was subsequently performed which revealed a large adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus and 2 satellite lesions above the adenocarcinoma. Discussion: This case highlights an infrequent presentation of de novo adenocarcinoma with no evidence of Barrett’s esophagus in a conservative time interval. In the chance that the endoscopist may have missed a short segment Barrett’s because of sampling error, the standard of care would have been a 3-year interval surveillance endoscopy. A repeat endoscopy was performed in 2.5 years regardless of no evidence of Barrett’s; the standard of care was not sufficient in this case. This patient exhibited LA class 3-4 distal esophagitis and despite healing, still developed an advanced adenocarcinoma. This may indicate that there is an alternative pathway to esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with such severe reflux. This case should provide support to potentially screen patients more aggressively who present with severe reflux.Figure 1.: Row 1: initial endoscopy Row 2: second endoscopy Row 3: third endoscopy

Disease control in patients with asthma and respiratory symptoms (wheezing, cough) during sleep

IntroductionThe Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)-defined criteria for asthma control include questions about daytime symptoms, limitation of activity, nocturnal symptoms, need for reliever treatment and patients’ satisfaction. Patients with nocturnal symptoms like wheezing and cough often suffer from lower sleep quality and impaired daytime performance. The lack of an appropriate method for standardized and objective monitoring of respiratory symptoms leads to difficulties in asthma management. The aim of this study is to present a new method for automated wheeze and cough detection during sleep and to assess the actual level of asthma control by the Asthma Control Test (ACT).MethodsRespiratory symptoms like wheezing and cough were recorded with the LEOSound-Monitor for one night in 55 asthmatic patients in their individual domestic setting. Patients were asked to assess their level of asthma subjectively with the ACT. The study consisted of 37 women and 18 men, with a mean age of 41 years, and a mean BMI of 27 kg/m2. Most of the patients had been taking an ICS/LABA combination and would resort to a SABA as their rescue medication.Results60% of the participants were classed as having controlled, and 40% were classed as having partially- or uncontrolled asthma. During sleep wheezing was found in 8 of the 55 asthma patients (14.5%) and coughing was found in 30 patients (54.5%). The median ACT score in wheezing-patients was 14, while in non-wheezing patients it was 21. Uncontrolled asthma was found in 6 of the 8 wheezing-patients. Coughing versus non-coughing patients did not show a significant difference in the ACT-score (20, 22 respectively).ConclusionWheezing is a sign of uncontrolled asthma. The ACT-score in wheezing patients is worse compared to patients without wheezing. LEOSound proofed to be a useful tool in providing an objective evaluation of respiratory symptoms, like coughing and wheezing. In clinical practice, this may allow an improvement in asthma therapy.

Self-reported traffic-related air pollution and respiratory symptoms among adults in an area with modest levels of traffic.

Health effects of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) concentrations in densely populated areas are previously described. However, there is still a lack of knowledge of the health effects of moderate TRAP levels. The aim of the current study, a population-based survey including 16 099 adults (response rate 33%), was to assess the relationship between TRAP estimates and respiratory symptoms in an area with modest levels of traffic; Telemark County, Norway. Respondents reported respiratory symptoms the past 12 months and two TRAP exposure estimates: amount of traffic outside their bedroom window and time spent by foot daily along a moderate to heavy traffic road. Females reported on average more symptoms than males. Significant relationships between traffic outside their bedroom window and number of symptoms were only found among females, with the strongest associations among female occasional smokers (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.16–2.62] for moderate or heavy traffic compared to no traffic). Significant relationship between time spent daily by foot along a moderate to heavy traffic road and number of symptoms was found among male daily smokers (IRR 1.09, 95% CI [1.04–1.15] per hour increase). Associations between traffic outside bedroom window and each respiratory symptom were found. Significant associations were primarily detected among females, both among smokers and non-smokers. Significant associations between time spent by foot daily along a moderate to heavy traffic road (per hour) and nocturnal dyspnoea (odds ratio (OR) 1.20, 95% CI [1.05–1.38]), nocturnal chest tightness (OR 1.13 [1.00–1.28]) and wheezing (OR 1.14 [1.02–1.29]) were found among daily smokers, primarily men. Overall, we found significant associations between self-reported TRAP exposures and respiratory symptoms. Differences between genders and smoking status were identified. The findings indicate an association between TRAP and respiratory symptoms even in populations exposed to modest levels of TRAP.

Prevalence of asthma and other allergic conditions in adults in Khuzestan, southwest Iran, 2018

BackgroundHealth information on the dimensions of asthma and allergic conditions in Khuzestan Province, as a major industrial and polluted area in Iran as and the Middle East, is inadequate. This study was performed to measure the prevalence of asthma and other allergic conditions in adults in Khuzestan Province.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 17 villages and 27 cities of Khuzestan Province during the years 2017–2018 on 20 to 65 year old respondents. Two-stage cluster sampling was used. The ECRHS (European Community Respiratory Health Survey) questionnaire was completed for individuals with additional questions regarding other allergic conditions.ResultsIn the study, 5720 questionnaires were distributed of which 5708 were returned. The prevalence of current asthma was 8.5% and that of asthma-like symptoms was 19.0%. The most common symptoms of asthma were nocturnal cough (13.6%), chest tightness (12.3%) and wheezing (13.1%). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR), eczema and airway hyperresponsiveness were 27.2, 10.7, and 38.7%, respectively. The prevalence of current asthma was strongly correlated with age, current location (city, village), and the smoking status of respondents (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe prevalence of current asthma and asthma-like symptoms in Khuzestan Province is almost twice as high as in Iran. Given the high prevalence of symptoms of airway hyperresponsiveness in the entire province, it is necessary to take environmental measures to mitigate the emergence of new cases of asthma among the residents. In addition, surveillance studies are necessary to monitor the trends in the prevalence of asthma in this province.

The association of prenatal risk factors with childhood asthma

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of maternal complications during pregnancy and prenatal exposures with childhood asthma among low-income families in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: Parents/guardians of children with and without asthma visiting a charity hospital were enrolled. Information about prenatal and perinatal exposures was collected. Univariable and multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis were conducted to explore the relationship of socio-demographic, maternal complications during pregnancy, access to prenatal care, and exposure to animals and pests while pregnant with childhood asthma. Results: Maternal symptoms of nocturnal cough (adjusted OR [aOR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.60–5.14) and wheezing (aOR = 5.57, 95% CI = 2.32–13.37) during pregnancy significantly increased the odds of childhood asthma. The family history of asthma or hay fever, also elevated the odds of childhood asthma (adjusted OR [aOR] = 5.86 (3.03–11.34). The odds of asthma among children whose mothers received prenatal care by Dai, an unskilled health worker, were significantly elevated. Lastly, prenatal exposure to rats/mice and contact with goats while pregnant was significantly associated with childhood asthma. Whereas, prenatal exposure to cows/cattle reduces the odds of childhood asthma. Conclusions: This study identified important maternal and prenatal risk factors for childhood asthma, the majority of which are avoidable. Appropriate steps are needed to create awareness about the prenatal risk factors in this population.

Control of Respiratory Symptoms During Sleep in Patients with Stable Bronchial Asthma

Awareness of respiratory symptoms during day- and night-time is important for asthma control. Acoustic long-term recording offers a possibility to monitor symptoms objectively. In this prospective observational study frequency of night-time cough and wheezing was evaluated in patients with stable asthma. Night-time cough and wheezing were monitored by LEOSound lung sound monitor in 40 patients with stable asthma. Patients did not complain of respiratory problems during day- and nighttime, asthma control test was 23 points on average. FEV1 was 84 ± 15 %; MEF 50 71 ± 27 % and Rtot 0,48 ± 0,18 kPas/l. The age of the patients was 35 ± 11 years. All patients had an antiobstructive and/or anti-inflammatory medication. The present study focuses on description of frequency, severity and characteristics of night-time symptoms like cough and wheezing in patients with stable asthma and tries to depict differences in patients who present cough or wheezing. Wheezing was monitored in 2 of the 40 patients. In the first patient duration of wheezing was 19 min, in the second 55 min. Lung function in patient 1 showed a moderate bronchial obstruction, he was still smoking. Patient 2 was a non-smoker with a significant bronchial obstruction (FEV1 49 %; MEF 50 27 % and Rtot 0,52 kPas/l). In 26 patients there was no coughing, 14 patients had 4 ± 3 (2 - 13) cough epochs during the night. By dividing the collective in two groups differentiated by the presence of cough/ no cough we found no significant differences regarding lung function and ACT-scores. Both patients with night-time wheezing presented low ACT- Scores (20 and 21 points). Nocturnal wheezing and cough episodes were detectable in 2 respectively 14 patients with stable asthma. Long-term recording of normal and adventitious breath sounds offers a practical opportunity to evaluate night-time cough and wheezing objectively.

Efficacy and safety of the combination fluticasone propionate plus salmeterol in asthmatic preschoolers: An observational study

ABSTRACTBackground: Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS) are the cornerstone of asthma management in pediatric patients. However, in some cases, asthma is not adequately controlled on ICS alone. Long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA) are one of the available additional therapies but their use has rarely been studied among children younger than 5 years. Objective: The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of fluticasone propionate and salmeterol (FP/SA) in asthmatic children younger than 5 years of age. Methods: A retrospective study of 796 children under the age of 5 years (2.87 ± 1.22 years, 64.2% males), who were treated with FP/SA was conducted. Hospitalization rates, frequency of wheezing, exercise induced asthma, nocturnal wheeze and drug-related side-effects were recorded through children's medical records. Results: The children had previously received short-acting β2-agonists (73%), ICS (17%), montelukast (1%), and ICS with montelukast (2%). Mean duration of therapy with FP/SA was 12.45 ± 9.14 months. After adjusting for age, gender, and duration of treatment, a 89% reduction was recorded in annual hospitalization rates (from 27.13% before treatment to 3.01% after FP/SA therapy, p < 0.001), a 71% reduction in incidence of exercise-induced asthma (36.8% vs. after 10.6%, p < 0.001), a 81% reduction in nocturnal asthma (33.7% vs. after: 6.4%, p < 0.001), as well as in frequency of wheezing (p < 0.01),. No previous treatment carry-on effect was observed. No major drug-related side-effects occurred in the study group. Conclusions: Combination therapy (FP/SA) is well-tolerated and highly effective in asthmatic children under the age of 5 years.

Sibilancias recurrentes: prevalencia y factores asociados en lactantes de Buenos Aires, Argentina

BackgroundThe episodes of bronchial obstruction at early age constitute a frequent problem in Pediatrics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of recurrent wheezing in infants in Buenos Aires City, as well as to identify any associated factors. MethodsCross-sectional study performed from 2011 to 2012 in the Children Hospital Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires City, as part of the International Study of Wheezing in Infants. A validated questionnaire was applied to parents of infants aged between 12 and 15 months. The prevalence of wheezing, mostly the recurrent episodes (three or more), and their probable associated factors were evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed with χ2, Fisher's test, binary and logistics multiple regression analysis. The significance level was 0.05. ResultsOver 1063 infants, 58.9% (confidence interval (CI) 95% 55.9-61.9) presented at least one episode of wheezing and 26.3% (CI95% 23.8-29.9) three or more episodes (recurrent wheezing). Risk factors associated to wheezing were male gender (p=0.001), six or more episodes of cold during the first year of life (p <0.0001), age at first cold <4 months (p <0.0001); pneumonia (p <0.0001) and smoking during pregnancy (tobacco) (p=0.01). For recurrent wheezing, risk factors we considered as six or more episodes of cold during the first year of life (p <0.0001), early (< 4 month of age) onset wheezing (p <0.0001) and nocturnal wheezing (p <0.0001). ConclusionsThe prevalence of recurrent wheezing among infants in Buenos Aires Ciy was high (26.3%). Some identified associated factors can be preventable.

Long-term Recording of Night-Time Respiratory Symptoms in Patients with Stable COPD II–IV

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Night-time respiratory symptoms have a considerable impact on sleep and life quality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lack of awareness of night-time symptoms can lead to worsened COPD control. Automated long-term monitoring of respiratory symptoms with LEOSound enables assessment of nocturnal wheezing and cough. Methods: In this observational study we investigated the prevalence and severity of cough and wheezing in patients with stable COPD [Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) II–IV] disease for two consecutive nights with the LEOSound system. 48 patients (30 males, 63%) were eligible for inclusion, median age was 67 years, and body mass index (BMI) was 25.3 kg/m2. Results: In 15 out of 48 patients (31%), we found wheezing periods for at least 10-minute duration. Wheezing periods >30 minutes were monitored in seven patients and wheezing periods >60 minutes were monitored in three patients. The maximum duration of wheezing was 470 minutes in one patient with COPD II. The median wheezing rate differed between the COPD stages and between active and non-active smokers. Cough was found in 42 patients (87.5%) with a range of 1–326 events. The cough-period-index in night one was 0.83 n/hour (P25:0.33||P75: 2.04) and night two 0.97 n/hour (P25:0.25||P75: 1.9). Most of the cough events were non-productive with a median of 0.86. Conclusions: Night-time symptoms are common in COPD patients. LEOSound offers an opportunity to evaluate objectively night-time symptoms like wheezing and cough in patients with COPD which remain otherwise unnoticed. We found a high incidence of night-time wheezing in these patients, which was related to persistant smoking.

Parabens and Asthma Morbidity Among Children 6-19 Years of Age with Asthma: NHANES (2005-2010).

Introduction: Parabens, phenols with antimicrobial properties, are used as preservatives in personal care products. Human exposure is ubiquitous and limited studies suggest that they play a role in allergic disease and asthma. Little is known about their effect on asthma morbidity among asthmatics. We examined the cross-sectional association between exposure to parabens and self-reported asthma-related outcomes among asthmatic children (6-19 years) from a nationally-representative U.S. sample. Methods: We conducted multivariate logistic regression to assess the association between urine concentrations of four parabens (butyl (BP), ethyl (EP), propyl (PP), and methyl paraben (MP)) and asthma attack, emergency department visit, nocturnal wheeze, and missed school due to wheezing over the last year in 261 asthmatic children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2010). We adjusted models a priori for age, gender, race, poverty income ratio, and creatinine levels. Results: EP, BP, PP, and MP were respectively detected in the urine of 38%, 42%, 96%, and 99% of children. Relative to children with non-detectable BP levels, children with detectable BP levels had a higher odds of having an asthma attack (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.29, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.34, 8.05). Relative to children in the lowest tertile of PP exposure, children in the upper tertiles had a higher odds of having an asthma attack (tertile 2 (T2) aOR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.00, 4.77; tertile 3(T3) aOR: 1.17, 95% CI: 0.41,3.34; ptrend&gt;0.05). Relative to children in the lowest tertile of MP exposure, children in the upper tertiles had a higher odds of having missed school due to wheezing (T2 aOR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.62, 2.61; T3 aOR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.15, 5.25; ptrend=0.02). No other significant associations were observed. Conclusions: Findings support the need for additional studies aimed at understanding if there is a causal relationship between paraben exposure and asthma morbidity.

Respiratory symptoms associated with air pollution in five localities of Bogotá, 2008-2011, a dynamic cohort study

High levels of air pollution increase respiratory morbidity in children under five years of age. To know the incidence of respiratory symptoms and its associated factors in five localities of Bogota. A dynamic cohort study was undertaken with a sample size of 3,278 children from five localities split into two groups according to the degree of exposure to particulate matter. Monitoring was conducted at the outbreak of ten respiratory symptoms through a diary of those symptoms. Statistical analysis included incidence rate ratio (IRR) calculations and Poisson regression models for each assessed symptom. Cough was more frequent in the highly exposed group (lRR=1.23, Cl 95% 1.13-1.34). The most exposed group had higher incidence of expectoration (lRR=1.64, Cl= 95% 1.47-1.84). Wheezing was associated with high exposure to particulate matter (RR=2.29, Cl 95% 1.78-3.00), cottage industries (RR=1.29, Cl 95% 1.01-1.68) and age (RR=0.95, Cl 95% 0.94-0.96). Risk attributable to air pollution exposure fluctuated according to symptoms from 37% for nocturnal wheezing (Cl 95% 26-47.8) to 10.6 for cough (Cl 95% 6.3-15%). Extradomiciliary air pollution effects are potentiated by socioeconomic living and working conditions of people in Bogota. A broader conceptual public health approach and the strengthening of intersector actions are required to reduce health effects of air pollution.

Nocturnal dry cough in the first 7 years of life is associated with asthma at school age.

Childhood wheeze is an important, well-known risk factor for asthma, yet little is known about the contribution of nocturnal dry cough. We investigated the association of nocturnal dry cough at ages 1-7 years with doctor-diagnosed asthma at 8 years of age, both in the presence and absence of wheeze. Data of 3,252 children from the PIAMA birth cohort were studied. Parents reported the presence of nocturnal dry cough, wheeze, and doctor-diagnosed asthma in the past 12 months yearly, from birth up to the age of 8 years. Nocturnal dry cough without wheeze was significantly associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma at age 8, except for age 1 (range of Relative Risks (RR) at ages 2-7: 1.8 (age 5) - 7.1 (age 7), all P-values <0.048). As expected, wheeze without nocturnal dry cough was strongly associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma at age 8 (range of RR: 2.0 (age 1) - 22.2 (age 7), all P-values <0.003). Of interest, nocturnal dry cough with wheeze showed the strongest association with doctor-diagnosed asthma at age 8 (range of RR: 3.7 (age 1) - 26.0 (age 7), all P-values <0.001). The relative excess risk of asthma at age 8 due to interaction of nocturnal dry cough with wheeze at age 1 year was 1.8 (0.1-3.6, P < 0.01). Nocturnal dry cough and wheeze in early childhood are both independently associated with asthma at school age. The presence of both nocturnal dry cough and wheeze at age 1 almost doubles the risk of asthma at age 8 compared to wheeze alone.

Cryptococcosis, silicosis, and tuberculous pseudotumor in the same pulmonary lobe

Tuberculosis and cryptococcosis are infectious diseases that can result in the formation of single or multiple nodules in immunocompetent patients. Exposure to silica is known to raise the risk of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We report the case of an elderly man with no history of opportunistic infections and no clinical evidence of immunodeficiency but with a six-month history of dry cough and nocturnal wheezing. A chest X-ray revealed a mass measuring 5.0 × 3.5 cm in the right upper lobe. The diagnostic approach of the mass revealed tuberculosis. The histopathological analysis of the surrounding parenchyma reveled silicosis and cryptococcosis. Cryptococcosis was also found in masses identified in the mediastinal lymph nodes. The surgical approach was indicated because of the degree of pleuropulmonary involvement, the inconclusive results obtained with the invasive and noninvasive methods applied, and the possibility of malignancy. This case illustrates the difficulty inherent to the assessment of infectious or inflammatory pulmonary pseudotumors, the differential diagnosis of which occasionally requires a radical surgical approach. Despite the presence of respiratory symptoms for six months, the first chest X-ray was performed only at the end of that period. We discuss the possible pathogenic mechanisms that might have led to the combination of three types of granulomatous lesions in the same lobe, and we emphasize the need for greater awareness of atypical presentations of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Nocturnal Wheeze Measurement in Preschool Children

Wheezing is a very common symptom in preschool children. Nocturnal wheezing is present in many asthmatic patients, due to enhanced airflow limitation overnight. We assessed the prevalence of nocturnal wheezing in young children and correlated this with respiratory system resistance and history of wheezing symptoms. Using a continuous overnight recording of respiratory sounds we analyzed wheeze rate (ratio between wheezing time and recorded breathing time), oxygen saturation and heart rate during one night in 59 three-year-old children of an ongoing birth cohort study, the WHISTLER-project. We associated the nocturnal measurements with the patient's history of wheezing symptoms and with measurement of respiratory system resistance (Rint). Analysis of wheeze rate was successful in 44 children. The overall wheeze rate of these children was low, with the highest wheeze rate of 0.63% measured by the tracheal sensor during expiration. In total, 21/44 children had a wheeze rate of ≥ 5% during at least 1 min. There was no statistically significant difference in wheeze rate between the children with and without a history of wheezing. The wheeze rate of the tracheal sensor had a significant correlation with Rint (correlation coefficients of inspiration and expiration: 0.308 and 0.382, P-values 0.05 and 0.01, respectively). Overall, the wheeze rate in young children is low, but seems to increase over nighttime. Almost 50% of the children have sporadic wheeze during the night. Although higher nocturnal wheeze rates are related to increased respiratory system resistance, it is not related to clinical wheezing symptoms.

Variability in the Labeling of Asthma among Pediatricians

ObjectiveFew studies have examined variability among physicians in the perception and interpretation of asthma symptoms. We report the results of a pilot study to investigate the variability of symptom description and diagnostic labeling and nomenclature among a group of clinicians using standardized audiovisual presentations of asthma.MethodsPracticing pediatricians in Wisconsin recruited from an electronic mailing list were shown the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) video questionnaire online, and asked to describe the symptoms and signs they observed and suggest possible diagnostic labels for each presentation.ResultsA total of 113 pediatricians (mean age = 43 years; 56% female) responded to ≥1 of the 5 video scenes. The number of practitioners who described the principal symptom(s) of asthma depicted in the 5 sequences ranged from 5.5% for Scene 5 (featuring both dyspnea and wheeze), to 100% for Scene 4 (featuring cough). The number who suggested label of ‘asthma’ as a possible cause of the presentations ranged from 69.7% for Scene 3 (featuring nocturnal wheeze), to 92.7% for Scene 2 (featuring exercise induced wheeze).ConclusionThere is important unexplained variation in the perceptions and labeling of asthma symptoms among pediatricians. These differences may influence the likelihood of diagnosis and the apparent prevalence of asthma. Many participants suggested that the ISAAC video be used in the education and training of pediatricians.

Case 1: An adolescent with chronic cough and wheezing

A 16-year-old-boy was evaluated for a two-year history of nocturnal cough and wheezing. He had not responsed to treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta2-agonists, a proton pump inhibitor and several courses of azithromycin. His medical history revealed no seasonal or food allergies, recurrent infections, sinusitis or diarrhea. Allergy skin testing was negative. Additional history received with the referral noted the boy experienced difficulty swallowing saliva and weight loss of several kilograms during the year before the underlying diagnosis was eventually established. On physical examination, his heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and chest auscultation findings were normal. Lung spirometry showed a mild obstructive pattern with flattening of the expiratory flow-volume loops (Figure 1), which remained unchanged after administering salbutamol. Because of his persistent symptoms, flexible bronchoscopy was performed, which identified a marked flattening of the lumen along the full length of the trachea. The cell count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid contained 20% neutrophils and 4% eosinophils, and staining with Oil red O was positive, indicating the presence of fat droplets. Subsequent bronchoalveolar lavage culture was negative. Further testing confirmed the diagnosis. Figure 1) Spirometry before and after surgery

Impact of cigarette smoking on symptoms and quality of life of adults with asthma managed in public primary care clinics in Singapore: a questionnaire study

Cigarette smoking aggravates asthma exacerbations, yet some patients with asthma continue to smoke. To compare the quality of life of adult smokers and non-smokers with asthma. Asthma Quality of Life (AQLQ) questionnaires were administered to adult patients with asthma managed in primary care in Singapore. The survey also included data of their asthma status including symptom profiles. Independent two-sample t-test, ANCOVA model, χ2 test and ordinal logistic regression were used to compare the mean domain scores and the effect of smoking on nocturnal symptoms and awakening, respectively. 357 adult asthma patients (183 non-smokers and 174 smokers) were recruited. Smokers were mainly male (p<0.001), single (p=0.008), and younger (mean age 30 years) (p=0.007). They were more affected by nocturnal cough and wheezing (p=0.016). After adjustment for age, gender, and asthma medications, the mean scores of the AQLQ 'symptoms' and 'emotional function' domains of smokers were 0.41 (95% CI 0.10 to 0.72) and 0.50 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.84) points lower than for non-smokers, with no statistical differences in the 'activity limitations' and 'exposure to environmental stimuli' domains. Adult patients with asthma who smoke are more affected by nocturnal symptoms, with lower 'emotional function' scores in the AQLQ.