The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma
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Determine the prevalence and risk factors of wheeze and severe wheeze in 13-to 14-year-old children. ⋯ Wheeze appears to be a substantial public health problem in the Polokwane area.
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This article reviews the empirical literature related to knowledge, competence, volition, and financial compensation in the biomedical research decision-making of children, adolescents, and parents. Research findings indicate there are differences in adolescent and parent understanding and appreciation of research risks and procedures, that opinions about decision-making authority and physician influence for research participation are different in adolescents and parents, and that financial compensation can be a salient factor in the research-related decision-making process. Pediatric asthma researchers can consider these psychological factors involved in adolescent and parent research participation decision-making processes to develop effective informed consent procedures.
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The relationship between exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) should be clarified. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between eNO and exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) by estimation of the each lung parameter in asthmatic children who performed a bicycle ergometer exercise test. Twenty children with asthma were recruited. eNO concentration was examined by the recommended online method. ⋯ We demonstrated that the most important lung parameter assessed the occurrence of EIB by a bicycle ergometer exercise test was not only FEV1 but FEF25-75%, which significantly correlated with eNO. This suggests that not only FEV1 but FEF25-75% can be used to evaluate the correlations between BHR (EIB) and airway inflammation (eNO) in asthmatic children. A low eNO is useful for a negative predictor for EIB.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Initiation of maintenance therapy with salmeterol/fluticasone propionate combination therapy in moderate asthma: a comparison with fluticasone propionate.
The objective of this study was to investigate initial maintenance treatment with salmeterol/fluticasone propionate (Seretide) 50/250 microg twice daily (SFC) compared with fluticasone propionate (Flixotide) 250 microg twice daily (FP) (both via Diskus inhaler, GlaxoSmithKline, Greenford, UK) in patients with moderate persistent asthma currently only treated with inhaled short-acting beta2-agonists. A total of 362 adults and adolescents (12 to 80 years of age) were randomized to this 12-week double-blind parallel-group study. The primary endpoint was mean morning peak expiratory flow (PEF). ⋯ Significantly more patients achieved well-controlled asthma during treatment with SFC (46%) compared with FP (32%) (odds ratio 1.84; 95% CI: 1.17, 2.89; p=0.008). Both treatments were safe and well-tolerated. This study demonstrates that initial maintenance treatment with SFC 50/250 mug twice daily provides superior efficacy to FP 250 microg twice daily alone in patients with moderate persistent asthma.
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Clinical Trial
Effects of repeated deep inspirations on recovery from methacholine-induced airway narrowing in normal subjects.
A single deep inspiration (DI) is known to be a potent bronchodilator but it is not known if repeated DI can accelerate sustained recovery from bronchoconstriction. ⋯ Recovery from induced bronchoconstriction with methacholine was slow (approximately 2%/min) and not accelerated by frequent DI.