Severe Asthma Exacerbations In Children Research Articles

Interactive effects between CDHR3 genotype and rhinovirus species for diagnosis and severity of respiratory tract infections in hospitalized children.

Rhinovirus (RV) is the leading pathogen causing childhood wheezing, with rhinovirus C (RV-C) species reported to cause asthma exacerbation. Allele A of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) CDHR3_rs6967330 upregulates epithelial expression of RV-C receptors which results in more severe asthma exacerbations in children. Nevertheless, there are limited data on interactions between CDHR3 variants and their impact on severity of RV-related pediatric respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Medical records of RV-related RTIs in children aged below 18 years who were hospitalized in two public hospitals in 2015-2016 were independently reviewed by two paediatricians. Archived nasopharyngeal aspirates were retrieved for RV detection and sequencing as well as CDHR3 genotyping. HaploView v.5.0 and generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) analysis were employed for haplotypic assignment and gene-environment interaction analyses. Among 1019 studied cases, our results confirmed the relationship between RV-C species and more severe RTIs. Besides the top risk variant rs6967330-A, we identified rs140154310-T to be associated with RV-C susceptibility under the additive model [odds ratio (OR) 2.53, 95% CI 1.15-5.56; P = 0.021]. Rs140154310 was associated with wheezing illness (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.12-5.04; P = 0.024), with such association being stronger in subjects who wheezed due to RV-C infections (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.32-5.58; P = 0.007). Haplotype GAG constructed from rs4730125, rs6967330, and rs73195665 was associated with increased risk of RV-C infection (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.11-2.65; P = 0.016) and oxygen supplementation (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.13-3.30; P = 0.016). GMDR analyses revealed epistatic interaction between rs140154310 and rs6967330 of CDHR3 for RV-C infection (P = 0.001), RV-C-associated lower RTI (P = 0.004), and RV-C-associated wheeze (P = 0.007). There was synergistic gene-environmental interaction between rs3887998 and RV-C for more severe clinical outcomes (P < 0.001). To conclude, rs140154310-T is another risk variant for RV-C susceptibility and more severe RTIs. Synergistic epistatic interaction is found between CDHR3 SNPs and RV-C for RTI severity, which is likely mediated by susceptibility to RV-C. Haplotypic analysis and GMDR should be included in identifying prediction models of CDHR3 for childhood asthma and RTIs. IMPORTANCE This case-control study investigated the interaction between CDHR3 genotypes and rhinovirus (RV) species on disease severity in Hong Kong children hospitalized for respiratory tract infection (RTI). There were synergistic effects between RV-C and CDHR3 SNPs for RTI severity, which was mainly driven by RV-C. Specifically, rs6967330 and rs140154310 alone and their epistatic interaction were associated with RV-C-related and severe RTIs in our subjects. Therefore, genotyping of CDHR3 SNPs may help physicians formulate prediction models for severity of RV-associated RTIs.

Elevated Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Is Associated with Severe Asthma Exacerbation in Children.

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in children. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of a chronic inflammatory state; however, data on the association of NLR with acute asthma exacerbations in children is lacking. In this cross-sectional study, between 2016 and 2021, children aged 2-18 years who were referred to the emergency department (ED) due to asthma exacerbation, were included. NLR, calculated from complete blood count upon arrival, was assessed as a continuous variable and was classified into four groups according to quartiles. The association between severity parameters and NLR quartiles was examined. A total of 831 ED visits for asthma exacerbation were included in the study. The median NLR was 1.6, 3.8, 6.7, and 12.9 in quartiles 1-4, respectively (p < 0.001). Demographic parameters, background diseases, and chronic medications were similar between the quartiles. Higher heart rate, body temperature, systolic blood pressure, and respiratory rate were observed in the higher NLR quartiles, as well as lower oxygen saturation. Higher urgency scale and higher rates of intravenous magnesium sulfate were observed in the higher NLR quartiles, with higher admission rates and prolonged hospitalizations. In summary, NLR upon admission is associated with the severity of asthma exacerbation and higher chances of hospitalization among children in the ED.

Virus infection and severe asthma exacerbations: A cross-sectional study in Children’s Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Context: Virus infection is a well-known risk factor for asthma exacerbations in temperate and subtropical countries, particularly in atopic children. However, the risk has not been well-described in tropical countries including Vietnam. Aims: To compare the odds of virus infection in hospitalized children with severe versus moderate asthma exacerbations. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Children’s Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Children who were admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with severe or moderate asthma exacerbations were recruited for the study. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from interviews and medical records. Virus infection was confirmed by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction. Inhalant allergy was confirmed by a skin prick test with common indoor aeroallergens. Statistical Analysis Used: Associations among age, gender, passive smoking, child’s history of eczema, family history of asthma, virus infection, and inhalant allergy with the odds of severe asthma exacerbations were tested by binary logistic regressions. Multivariable logistic regression was done to measure the association between virus infection with the odds of severe asthma exacerbations adjusted for passive smoking. The odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported to show the strength of the associations. Results: Nearly half of the children were infected by a virus (48.5%) and had passive smoking (49.2%). The percentage of children with a positive skin prick test was 83%. The most common indoor aeroallergen was house dust mites (81.1%). The odds of severe asthma exacerbations in children with virus infection was three times higher than that in those without virus infection (OR: 3.21, 95% CI: 1.20‐8.60, P = 0.021). Conclusions: Immunization and other healthcare programs should be deployed to prevent asthmatic children from virus infection and passive smoking to reduce the risk of severe asthma exacerbations.

Effect of Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Children With Asthma and Low Vitamin D Levels: The VDKA Randomized Clinical Trial

To investigate if supplementation with vitamin D3 would improve the time to a severe exacerbation in children at high risk with vitamin D insufficiency and taking low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) for persistent asthma.The participants were recruited from 7 children’s hospitals across the United States. Participants, 6 to 16 years of age, had to have physician-diagnosed asthma for at least 1 year, being treated with low-dose ICSs, and have a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level less than 30 ng/mL. They also had to have at least 1 severe asthma exacerbation in the last year (defined as systemic steroids for at least 3 days or an emergency department visit or hospitalization requiring systemic corticosteroids). All participants had to show bronchodilator responsiveness or airway responsiveness to methacholine inhalation. The mean age of the participants was 9.8 years (40% girls). A total of 219 subjects passed screening and entered run-in. A total of 192 subjects were randomly assigned to active drug or placebo capsules.This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants initially all received placebo capsules and were maintained on inhaled fluticasone propionate, 176 μg per day (6–11 years) or 220 μg per day (12–16 years) during run-in. They continued the ICSs and then were randomly assigned to daily vitamin D3 4000 IU or continuing placebo for 48 weeks. After 24 weeks, participants dose of fluticasone was reduced by 50%, if asthma was well controlled and spirometry was normal. Serum vitamin D levels and parameters of asthma control were measured every 16 weeks. The primary outcome was the time to a severe asthma exacerbation. Secondary outcomes included the time to a viral-induced severe exacerbation, the proportion of participants in whom the dose of ICS was reduced halfway through the trial, and the cumulative fluticasone dose during the trial.A total of 94% of randomly assigned subjects completed the trial. A total of 36 participants (37.5%) in the vitamin D3 group and 33 (34.4%) in the placebo group had ≥1 severe exacerbations. Compared with the placebo, vitamin D3 supplementation did not significantly improve the time to a severe exacerbation. The mean time to exacerbation was 240 days in the vitamin D3 group versus 253 days in the placebo group (mean group difference: −13.1 days; adjusted hazard ratio: 1.13; P = .63). Vitamin D3 supplementation, compared with the placebo, did not significantly improve the time to a viral-induced severe exacerbation, the proportion of participants whose dose of ICSs was reduced, or the cumulative fluticasone dose during the trial. Serious adverse events were similar in both groups (vitamin D3 group: n = 11; placebo group: n = 9).In children 6 to 16 years old with persistent asthma and low vitamin D levels, vitamin D3 supplementation, compared with a placebo, did not significantly improve the time to a severe asthma exacerbation or ICS dosing.As the authors note, in several observational studies, researchers have linked low serum vitamin D levels to severe asthma exacerbations, lower lung function, and reduced response to corticosteroids. Yet meta-analyses and reviews of vitamin D3 supplementation for severe asthma exacerbations have found insufficient evidence to recommend vitamin D3 supplementation in children. In this study, the authors, looking at a high-risk population for asthma exacerbations, add to that negative body of literature.

The Effect of Oral Magnesium Sulfate on Moderate and Severe Asthma Exacerbation in Children Referred to Pediatrics Emergency Department: The Moderating Role of Asthma Severity

Background: Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood and cause of hospitalization.Intravenous magnesium sulfate is recommended as a complementary therapy for asthma exacerbation.This study investigate the effect of oral magnesium sulfate on moderate and severe asthma exacerbation in children. Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was performed on 40children 5-12 years old with asthma exacerbation who referred to Pediatric Emergency Department of Quaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups , received magnesium sulfate (300 mg every 12 hours) or placebo capsules for 5 days. Asthma severity score based on Siriraj clinical asthma score (SCAS) contained in the questionnaire was recorded for each patient at 0, 2, 6, and 24 hours after first visit, and then daily up to 5 days. The patients were divided into three groups by researcher: A(Mild) :0-8, B(Modrate):8-16, C(Severe):16-24. Results: The mean age of subjects was 8.20 ± 2.49 age and mean weight was 26.32 ± 8.65 kg. Classification of asthma severity in the magnesium group included 5 patients in A, 14 in B and 1 in C and in placebo group 8 in A,8 in B and 4 in C .The present study, controlling the effect of weight as a covariate, didn't indicate a significant effect of oral magnesium sulfate on asthma symptoms in 5-12 years old children (P=0.15); however, after considering the severity variable as moderator, indicated a minor effect on symptom improvements in B score. Conclusion: Adminstration of oral magnesium sulfate Within 5 days, didn't improve asthma exacerbation in5-12 years old children.So, more studies with different dose and duration are needed to determine efficacy of oral mgso4 in asthma exacerbation.

Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on severe asthma exacerbations in children with asthma and low vitamin D levels: the VDKA randomized clinical trial

Importance Severe asthma exacerbations cause significant morbidity and costs. Whether vitamin D3supplementation reduces severe childhood asthma exacerbations is unclear. Objective To determine whether vitamin D3supplementation improves the time to a severe exacerbation in children with asthma and low vitamin D levels. Design, Setting, and Participants The Vitamin D to Prevent Severe Asthma Exacerbations (VDKA) Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of vitamin D3supplementation to improve the time to severe exacerbations in high-risk children with asthma aged 6 to 16 years taking low-dose inhaled corticosteroids and with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels less than 30 ng/mL. Participants were recruited from 7 US centers. Enrollment started in February 2016, with a goal of 400 participants; the trial was terminated early (March 2019) due to futility, and follow-up ended in September 2019. Interventions Participants were randomized to vitamin D3, 4000 IU/d (n = 96), or placebo (n = 96) for 48 weeks and maintained with fluticasone propionate, 176 μg/d (6-11 years old), or 220 μg/d (12-16 years old). Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the time to a severe asthma exacerbation. Secondary outcomes included the time to a viral-induced severe exacerbation, the proportion of participants in whom the dose of inhaled corticosteroid was reduced halfway through the trial, and the cumulative fluticasone dose during the trial. Results Among 192 randomized participants (mean age, 9.8 years; 77 girls [40%]), 180 (93.8%) completed the trial. A total of 36 participants (37.5%) in the vitamin D3group and 33 (34.4%) in the placebo group had 1 or more severe exacerbations. Compared with placebo, vitamin D3supplementation did not significantly improve the time to a severe exacerbation: the mean time to exacerbation was 240 days in the vitamin D3group vs 253 days in the placebo group (mean group difference, −13.1 days [95% CI, −42.6 to 16.4]; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.13 [95% CI, 0.69 to 1.85];P = .63). Vitamin D3supplementation, compared with placebo, likewise did not significantly improve the time to a viral-induced severe exacerbation, the proportion of participants whose dose of inhaled corticosteroid was reduced, or the cumulative fluticasone dose during the trial. Serious adverse events were similar in both groups (vitamin D3group, n = 11; placebo group, n = 9). Conclusions and Relevance Among children with persistent asthma and low vitamin D levels, vitamin D3supplementation, compared with placebo, did not significantly improve the time to a severe asthma exacerbation. The findings do not support the use of vitamin D3supplementation to prevent severe asthma exacerbations in this group of patients. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02687815

Can vitamin D3 supplementation reduce the time to severe asthma exacerbations in children with asthma?

Vitamin D deficiency in children needs to be treated irrespective of asthma benefits. The VDKA trial showed that vitamin D supplementation in school-age asthmatic children with vitamin D insufficiency did not improve asthma control. https://bit.ly/2UF3j61

Predicting Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Children: Blueprint for Today and Tomorrow

Severe asthma exacerbations are the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in children with asthma. Accurate prediction of children at risk for severe exacerbations, defined as those requiring systemic corticosteroids, emergency department visit, and/or hospitalization, would considerably reduce health care utilization and improve symptoms and quality of life. Substantial progress has been made in identifying high-risk exacerbation-prone children. Known risk factors for exacerbations include demographic characteristics (ie, low income, minority race/ethnicity), poor asthma control, environmental exposures (ie, aeroallergen exposure/sensitization, concomitant viral infection), inflammatory biomarkers, genetic polymorphisms, and markers from other "omic" technologies. The strongest risk factor for a future severe exacerbation remains having had one in the previous year. Combining risk factors into composite scores and use of advanced predictive analytic techniques such as machine learning are recent methods used to achieve stronger prediction of severe exacerbations. However, these methods are limited in prediction efficiency and are currently unable to predict children at risk for impending (within days) severe exacerbations. Thus, we provide a commentary on strategies that have potential to allow for accurate and reliable prediction of children at risk for impending exacerbations. These approaches include implementation of passive, real-time monitoring of impending exacerbation predictors, use of population health strategies, prediction of severe exacerbation responders versus nonresponders to conventional exacerbation management, and considerations for preschool-age children who can be especially high risk. Rigorous prediction and prevention of severe asthma exacerbations is needed to advance asthma management and improve the associated morbidity and mortality.

Exploring the Utility of Noninvasive Type 2 Inflammatory Markers for Prediction of Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Children and Adolescents

SP Shah, J Grunwell, J Shih, S Stephenson, AM Fitzpatrick. J Allergy Clin Immuinol Pract. 2019;7(8):2624–2633.e2 To show that blood eosinophil counts in children and adolescents with exacerbation-prone asthma would predict 1 or more acute visits for asthma in the 6–12 months after measurement and that prediction of acute events could be improved with the addition of a second, noninvasive type 2 inflammatory marker. 589 children and adolescents with exacerbation-prone asthma (exacerbation requiring systemic steroid treatment in the previous year) who were participating in asthma research studies at Emory University between January 2007 and December 2016. This was a secondary analysis. Data were collected concerning demographics, medical history and symptoms, neighborhood characteristics. …

Indoor endotoxin, proximity to a major roadway, and severe asthma exacerbations among children in Puerto Rico

BackgroundFew studies have examined concurrent exposure to household endotoxin and traffic-related air pollution in relation to childhood asthma, yet both factors are associated with asthma outcomes. ObjectiveTo examine whether proximity to a major roadway (a traffic-related air pollution proxy) modifies the estimated effects of indoor endotoxin on asthma outcomes in children. MethodsCross-sectional study of 200 children with asthma (ages, 6-14 years) living in Puerto Rico. Residential distance to a major roadway was calculated as the distance from the participant’s residential US census block centroid to the nearest major road. The outcomes of interest were severe asthma exacerbations, missed school days for asthma, atopy, lung function, and bronchodilator response (BDR). Logistic, linear, or negative binomial regression was used for the multivariable analysis. ResultsIn the multivariable analysis, there was an interaction between indoor endotoxin and residential distance to a roadway on severe asthma exacerbations (P = .02) and BDR (P = .07). In an analysis stratified by distance to a roadway, each log10-unit increase in endotoxin was associated with 4.21 times increased odds of severe asthma exacerbations among children living within 499 m (the lower 3 quartiles of residential distance) to a road (95% confidence interval, 1.5-12.0). Among subjects living further than 499 m away from a roadway, each log10-unit increase in endotoxin was associated with reduced odds of severe asthma exacerbations (odds ratio, 0.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.001-0.67). Similar but less substantial findings were observed for BDR. ConclusionOur findings suggest that residential proximity to a major road modifies the estimated effect of endotoxin on severe asthma exacerbations in children.

Effect of Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Children With Asthma and Low Vitamin D Levels

Severe asthma exacerbations cause significant morbidity and costs. Whether vitamin D3 supplementation reduces severe childhood asthma exacerbations is unclear. To determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation improves the time to a severe exacerbation in children with asthma and low vitamin D levels. The Vitamin D to Prevent Severe Asthma Exacerbations (VDKA) Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of vitamin D3 supplementation to improve the time to severe exacerbations in high-risk children with asthma aged 6 to 16 years taking low-dose inhaled corticosteroids and with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels less than 30 ng/mL. Participants were recruited from 7 US centers. Enrollment started in February 2016, with a goal of 400 participants; the trial was terminated early (March 2019) due to futility, and follow-up ended in September 2019. Participants were randomized to vitamin D3, 4000 IU/d (n = 96), or placebo (n = 96) for 48 weeks and maintained with fluticasone propionate, 176 μg/d (6-11 years old), or 220 μg/d (12-16 years old). The primary outcome was the time to a severe asthma exacerbation. Secondary outcomes included the time to a viral-induced severe exacerbation, the proportion of participants in whom the dose of inhaled corticosteroid was reduced halfway through the trial, and the cumulative fluticasone dose during the trial. Among 192 randomized participants (mean age, 9.8 years; 77 girls [40%]), 180 (93.8%) completed the trial. A total of 36 participants (37.5%) in the vitamin D3 group and 33 (34.4%) in the placebo group had 1 or more severe exacerbations. Compared with placebo, vitamin D3 supplementation did not significantly improve the time to a severe exacerbation: the mean time to exacerbation was 240 days in the vitamin D3 group vs 253 days in the placebo group (mean group difference, -13.1 days [95% CI, -42.6 to 16.4]; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.13 [95% CI, 0.69 to 1.85]; P = .63). Vitamin D3 supplementation, compared with placebo, likewise did not significantly improve the time to a viral-induced severe exacerbation, the proportion of participants whose dose of inhaled corticosteroid was reduced, or the cumulative fluticasone dose during the trial. Serious adverse events were similar in both groups (vitamin D3 group, n = 11; placebo group, n = 9). Among children with persistent asthma and low vitamin D levels, vitamin D3 supplementation, compared with placebo, did not significantly improve the time to a severe asthma exacerbation. The findings do not support the use of vitamin D3 supplementation to prevent severe asthma exacerbations in this group of patients. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02687815.

Is mold sensitization associated with severe asthma exacerbation in children?

Mold sensitization has been reported as a factor associated with severe asthma exacerbation (SAE). To identify the factors associated with SAE in asthmatic children, particularly mold sensitization. The asthmatic children recruited into this case-control study were classified into an SAE and an outpatient (OPD) group, based on their histories of asthma exacerbation with hospitalization in the preceding year. A skin prick test to common aeroallergens was performed. Possible SAE risk factors were analyzed. A total of 102 patients were enrolled. The 51 patients in the SAE group were significantly younger than the 51 in the OPD group (mean ages of 6.8 ± 3.3 vs 8.7 ±3.2 years, p = 0.005). Higher proportions of patients with partly controlled or uncontrolled asthma were found in the SAE group (41.2% vs 17.6%, p = 0.009). The incidences of a paternal history of atopy, an emergency department visit, and a history of systemic corticosteroid administration in the preceding year were significantly higher for the SAE group (35.3% vs 15.7%, p = 0.023; 100% vs 43.5%, p < 0.001; and 100% vs 31.4%, p < 0.001; respectively). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors for SAE were Alternaria sensitization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.00; 95% CI 1.09-8.3; p = 0.033), patients who were younger than 6 years (AOR 3.28; 95% CI 1.17-9.18; p = 0.024), and a paternal history of atopy (AOR 2.94; 95% CI 1.05-8.25; p = 0.040). Alternaria sensitization, an age younger than 6 years, and a paternal history of atopy were associated with SAE in asthmatic children.

Folic acid Deficiency and Bronchial Asthma Exacerbations in Children

Background: Little is known about folate and asthma exacerbations. We examined whether folate deficiency is associated with asthma exacerbations in Children. Aim of the work: was to assess association of folate deficiency with increased asthma exacerbations in children. Subjects and methods: The study carried out on fifty children known to have a history of bronchial asthma aged from 6–15 years. All subjects were subjected to thorough medical history, full clinical examination, laboratory investigations including pulmonary function tests (spirometry) and serum folic acid levels. Results: this study showed Percentage of asthma in males more than in females. Viral infection, exercise, exposure to cold and fumes are the commonest precipitating factors. Analysis of Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1) showed that 30% of cases had a level above 80% (mild impairment), 54% had a level between 60 and 80% (moderate) and 16% had a level below 60% (severe). Serum level of folic acid was lowest in the severe group (1.20.1), followed by the moderate (2.40.3) then the mild group (3.40.4), with a significant difference when all the groups were compared with each other (p <0.001).There were significant, positive strong correlations between folic acid level and each of FEV1% and FEV1/FVC%. Serum folic acid level contributed significantly to the degree of asthma severity, when adjusted for the other variables and indicated that increase in asthma severity with associated with each decrease in folic acid level. Conclusions: It could be concluded that folate deficiency is associated with increased degree of severe asthma exacerbations in children.

Exploring the Utility of Noninvasive Type 2 Inflammatory Markers for Prediction of Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Children and Adolescents

Noninvasive markers of type 2 inflammation are needed to identify children and adolescents who might benefit from personalized biologic therapy. We hypothesized that blood eosinophil counts would predict 1 or more acute visits for asthma and that prediction could be improved with the addition of a second, noninvasive type 2 inflammatory biomarker. Children and adolescents 5 to 21 years (N= 589) with an asthma exacerbation necessitating systemic corticosteroid treatment in the previous year completed a characterization visit and telephone calls at 6 and 12 months. The primary outcome was an acute visit for asthma with receipt of systemic corticosteroids. Acute visits were verified by medical record review. Exploratory outcomes included time to first acute visit and hospitalization. Acute visits occurred in 106 (35.5%) children and 72 (24.8%) adolescents. Elevated blood eosinophils were associated with increased odds and shorter time to first acute visit, but optimal cut-points differed by age (≥150 vs ≥300 cells/μL for children vs adolescents, respectively). The addition of a second marker of type 2 inflammation did not improve prediction in children, but increased the odds and hazard of an acute visit up to 16.2% and 11.9%, respectively, in adolescents. Similar trends were noted for hospitalizations. Blood eosinophils and other noninvasive markers of type 2 inflammation may be useful in the clinical assessment of children and adolescents with asthma. However, features of type 2 inflammation vary by age. Whether children and adolescents also respond differently to management of type 2 inflammation is unclear and warrants further evaluation.

Preventing Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Children: A Randomized Trial of Mite-Impermeable Bedcovers

CS Murray, P Foden, H Sumner, E Shepley, A Custovic, A Simpson. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017;196(2):150–158 Mite-proof mattress and pillow encasings are commonly recommended for children with asthma who are allergic to dust mites. Do they work? This study included 284 children aged 3 to 17 years with physician-diagnosed asthma who presented to the emergency department (ED) with an asthma exacerbation and who has a positive skin test to house dust mite. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive active (ie, mite-proof) encasings or placebo encasings on the pillow, mattress, and duvet of all beds in the child’s bedroom. No additional dust mite …

Risk factors associated with severe asthma exacerbations in children attending Alexandria University Children’s Hospital, Egypt

Background: Severe asthma exacerbation is one of the common pediatric medical emergencies that necessitates hospital visits. The study aimed to identify risk factors associated with pediatric severe asthma exacerbations that might have the potential to guide the parents for early medical consultations and physicians at primary health care centers for proper management.Methods: A case-control study was conducted on over 100 asthmatic children below 12 years attending the Emergency Department of Alexandria University Children’s Hospital in acute exacerbation. Based on a modified pulmonary index score, the patients were allocated into 2 groups; study group (50 patients with severe asthma exacerbation) and control group (50 patients with mild asthma exacerbations). Demographic data, history of illness, alarming clinical signs, medications, and outcome of all participants were recorded.Results: Severe asthma exacerbations were more encountered among males, older age, and with a longer duration of asthma (X±SD=28.4±15.9 months) with significant differences when compared to controls. Comparing the studied groups revealed higher risk for severe asthma exacerbations mainly with; history of sudden onset of severe respiratory distress (Odds ratio “OR”=30.13, 95% CI, 13.78-66.69) and chronic steroid-dependent asthma (OR=14.46, 95% CI, 3.97-52.65). Cyanosis, lethargy, and inability to talk were alarming signs in patients with severe asthma exacerbation when compared to those with mild asthma exacerbation (p&lt;0.05).Conclusions: Severe asthma exacerbation in children is still associated with many risk factors that may alert the patients’ caregivers and physicians prospectively for early proper management.

Factors associated with severe asthma exacerbation in children: Preliminary Report

Factors associated with severe asthma exacerbation in children: Preliminary Report

Assessing hypoxia risk during air travel after a severe asthma exacerbation in children

Assessing hypoxia risk during air travel after a severe asthma exacerbation in children

Effect of outdoor air pollution on asthma exacerbations in children and adults: Systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis.

BackgroundSeveral observational studies have suggested that outdoor air pollution may induce or aggravate asthma. However, epidemiological results are inconclusive due to the presence of numerous moderators which influence this association. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between outdoor air pollutants and moderate or severe asthma exacerbations in children and adults through a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis.Material and methodsWe searched studies published in English on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar between January 2000 and October 2016. Studies following a case-crossover design with records of emergency departments and/or hospital admissions as a surrogate of moderate or severe asthma exacerbations were selected. A multilevel meta-analysis was employed, taking into account the potential clustering effects within studies examining more than one lag. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. A subgroup analysis in children aged 0 to 18 years and a sensitivity analysis based on the quality of the included studies as defined in the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were performed. Publication bias was evaluated through visual inspection of funnel plots and by a complementary search of grey literature. (Prospero Registration number CRD42015032323).ResultsDatabase searches retrieved 208 records, and finally 22 studies were selected for quantitative analysis. All pollutants except SO2 and PM10 showed a significant association with asthma exacerbations (NO2: 1.024; 95% CI: 1.005,1.043, SO2: 1.039; 95% CI: 0.988,1.094), PM10: 1.024; 95% CI: 0.995,1.053, PM2.5: 1.028; 95% CI: 1.009,1.047, CO: 1.045; 95% CI: 1.005,1.086, O3: 1.032; 95% CI: 1.005,1.060. In children, the association was significant for NO2, SO2 and PM2.5.ConclusionThis meta-analysis provides evidence of the association between selected air pollutants and asthma exacerbations for different lags.

Preventing Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Children. A Randomized Trial of Mite-Impermeable Bedcovers.

Allergen exposure in sensitized individuals with asthma interacts with viruses to increase the risk of asthma exacerbation. To evaluate the use of house dust mite-impermeable bedding and its impact on severe asthma exacerbations in children. We randomized mite-sensitized children with asthma (ages 3-17 yr) after an emergency hospital attendance with an asthma exacerbation to receive mite-impermeable (active group) or control (placebo group) bed encasings. Over a 12-month intervention period, the occurrence of severe asthma exacerbations was investigated. Of 434 children with asthma who consented, 286 (mean age, 7.7 yr; male sex, 65.8%) were mite sensitized, and 284 were randomized (146 to the active group and 138 to the placebo group). At 12 months, significantly fewer children in the active group than in the placebo group had attended the hospital with an exacerbation (36 [29.3%] of 123 vs. 49 [41.5%] of 118; P = 0.047). In the multivariable analysis, the risk of emergency hospital attendance was 45% lower in the active group (hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.85; P = 0.006) than in the placebo group. The annual rate of emergency hospital attendance with exacerbations was 27% lower in the active group than in the placebo group, but this did not reach significance (estimated marginal mean [95% CI], active, 0.38 [0.26-0.56] vs. placebo, 0.52 [0.35-0.76]; P = 0.18). No difference between the groups in the risk of prednisolone use for exacerbation was found (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.58-1.17; P = 0.28). Mite-impermeable encasings are effective in reducing the number of mite-sensitized children with asthma attending the hospital with asthma exacerbations but not the number requiring oral prednisolone. This simple measure may reduce the health care burden of asthma exacerbations in children. Clinical trial registered with www.isrctn.com (ISRCTN 69543196).