Relation of bronchial and alveolar nitric oxide to exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in atopic children and adolescents.

Relation of bronchial and alveolar nitric oxide to exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in atopic children and adolescents.

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2011 Dec 7;

Authors: Linkosalo L, Lehtimäki L, Holm K, Kaila M, Moilanen E

Abstract
To cite this article: Linkosalo L, Lehtimäki L, Holm K, Kaila M, Moilanen E. Relation of bronchial and alveolar nitric oxide to exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in atopic children and adolescents. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2011; Doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2011.01223.x ABSTRACT: Background and objective:? Exercise challenge test is widely used in diagnostics and follow-up of childhood asthma, but the method is complex, time consuming, and expensive. In this study, we aimed to find out whether flow-independent nitric oxide (NO) parameters (bronchial NO flux [J’aw(NO) ] and alveolar NO concentration [CA(NO) ]) predict exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in atopic children and adolescents with asthma-like symptoms. Also, the respective NO parameters corrected for axial backward diffusion (J’aw(NO) [TMAD] and CA(NO) [TMAD]) were calculated and included in the analysis. Methods:? Thirty patients (6-19?yr old) with confirmed atopy (positive skin prick tests or allergen-specific IgE) and asthma-like respiratory symptoms were included in the study. Before the current investigations, none of the patients had been diagnosed to have asthma and none were on inhaled corticosteroids. Exhaled NO was measured at multiple exhalation flow rates, and exercise challenge test was carried out. Bronchial NO flux and alveolar NO concentration were calculated according to the linear method with and without correction for axial backward diffusion. Sixty-six healthy school children served as controls. Results:? The patients were divided into two groups according to EIB. Patients with EIB (EIB+ group, n = 18) had enhanced bronchial NO output as compared to patients without EIB (EIB- group, n = 12); but the EIB- group did not differ from healthy controls. EIB+ group had also higher alveolar NO concentration than EIB- group and healthy controls, but EIB- group did not differ from healthy controls. When bronchial NO flux and alveolar NO concentration were corrected for axial diffusion, J’aw(NO) (TMAD) had equal difference as J’aw(NO) between the groups as expected. However, only EIB+ had higher CA(NO) (TMAD) than healthy controls, and the patient groups did not differ from each other. In patients, bronchial NO output correlated with the magnitude of exercise-induced change in PEF (r(s) = -0.388, p = 0.034), FEV(1) (r(s) = -0.395, p = 0.031), and FEF(50%) (r(s) = -0.431, p = 0.020), i.e., the higher the bronchial NO output, the larger the decrease in PEF/FEV(1) /FEF(50%) . Alveolar NO concentrations correlated with the change in FEV(1) (r(s) = -0.439, p = 0.015), FEF(50%) (r(s) = -0.454, p = 0.013), FEF(75%) (r(s) = -0.447, p?=?0.017), and FVC (r(s) ?=?-0.375, p?=?0.045). For J’aw(NO) (TMAD), the correlations and p-values were equal to those of J’aw(NO) , but, interestingly, CA(NO) (TMAD) had no significant correlations with any of the exercise-induced changes in lung function. Conclusion:? The results showed that in atopic children and adolescents, increased bronchial NO output as well as J’aw(NO) (TMAD) were associated with EIB, while alveolar NO concentration (but not CA(NO) [TMAD]) correlated with the degree of obstruction in smaller airways induced by exercise challenge.

PMID: 22145648 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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Nurseries And Schools Near Polluted Roads ‘Putting Children At Risk Of Asthma’ – Huffington Post UK

Nurseries And Schools Near Polluted Roads 'Putting Children At Risk Of Asthma'
Huffington Post UK
A report showing the close proximity of schools and nurseries to some of London's busiest roads has renewed calls for a campaign to combat air pollution, as a study revealed a direct link with children developing asthma. Roy Vickery, Green Party London
Road pollution affecting Wandsworth schools and nurseries a 'scandal'Your Local Guardian

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Bronchitis and Asthma Most Commonly Treated Conditions Among Children – HealthNewsDigest.com


HealthNewsDigest.com

Bronchitis and Asthma Most Commonly Treated Conditions Among Children
HealthNewsDigest.com
By Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (HealthNewsDigest.com) The five most commonly treated medical conditions among children in 2008 were acute bronchitis, asthma, trauma-related disorders, middle-ear infections and mental disorders,

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Association between body mass index and asthma symptoms among korean children: a nation-wide study.

Association between body mass index and asthma symptoms among korean children: a nation-wide study.

J Korean Med Sci. 2011 Dec;26(12):1541-7

Authors: Suh M, Kim HH, Choi DP, Kim KW, Sohn MH, Ha KH, Hwang WJ, Kim C, Kim KE, Shin DC

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of wheeze using nation-wide cross-sectional study in Korean children. Total 50,200 children from 427 elementary schools were randomly selected according to residential areas (metropolitan, provincial, rural, and industrial areas) by the cluster sampling method. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaires were used to measure the prevalence of wheeze. Among 31,026 respondents, 25,322 were analyzed. BMI was classified into quartiles based on BMI-for-age percentile. In all residential areas, pets at home and visible mold or moisture were associated with an increased prevalence of wheeze in both genders. However, other living environment factors were not consistently associated among residential areas and gender. Among girls, lowest BMI was negatively associated with prevalence of wheeze and highest BMI was positively associated in all residential areas. In multilevel logistic regression analysis, environmental tobacco smoking exposure, pets at home, visible mold or moisture, and being in the lowest and highest BMI quartile were significantly associated with the prevalence of wheeze in both genders. BMI has become an important risk factor for asthma symptoms among Korean children.

PMID: 22147989 [PubMed – in process]

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