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Background Accurate symptom monitoring is vital when managing pediatric asthma, providing an opportunity to improve control and relieve associated burden. The CHILDHOOD ASTHMA CONTROL TEST (C-ACT) has been validated for asthma control assessment in children; however, there are concerns that response option images used in the C-ACT are not culturally universal and could be misinterpreted. This cross-sectional, qualitative study developed and evaluated alternative response option images using interviews with children with asthma aged 4–11 years (and their parents/caregivers) in the United States, Spain, Poland, and Argentina. Interviews were conducted in two stages (with expert input) to evaluate the appropriateness, understanding and qualitative equivalence of the alternative images (both on paper and electronically). This included comparing the new images with the original C-ACT response scale, to provide context for equivalence results. Results Alternative response option images included scale A (simple faces), scale B (circles of decreasing size), and scale C (squares of decreasing quantity). In Stage 1, most children logically ranked images using scales A, B and C (66.7%, 79.0% and 70.6%, respectively). However, some children ranked the images in scales B (26.7%) and C (58.3%) in reverse order. Slightly more children could interpret the images within the context of their asthma in scale B (68.4%) than A (55.6%) and C (47.5%). Based on Stage 1 results, experts recommended scales A (with slight modifications) and B be investigated further. In Stage 2, similar proportions of children logically ranked the images used in modified scales A (69.7%) and B (75.7%). However, a majority of children ranked the images in scale B in the reverse order (60.0%). Slightly more children were able to interpret the images in the context of their asthma using scale B (57.6%) than modified scale A (48.5%). Children and parents/caregivers preferred modified scale A over scale B (78.8% and 90.9%, respectively). Compared with the original C-ACT, most children selected the same response option on items using both scales, supporting equivalency. Following review of Stage 2 results, all five experts agreed modified scale A was the optimal response scale. Conclusions This study developed alternative response option images for use in the C-ACT and provides qualitative evidence of the equivalency of these response options to the originals. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41687-021-00390-2., Plain English summary Accurate monitoring of the symptoms associated with pediatric asthma is important when managing the condition. The CHILDHOOD ASTHMA CONTROL TEST (C-ACT) is a questionnaire widely used to measure asthma severity in young children (aged 4–11 years). Each question answered by the child in the C-ACT has four possible answer choices. To help children answer, each choice is presented alongside an image of a male child’s face ranging from sad to happy. However, there are concerns that the images used are not culturally universal and could be misinterpreted—due to difficulties translating to electronic formats and a lack of differentiation between the images used. Through interviewing children with asthma, we aimed to address these concerns by developing and testing new images. Alternative image options developed included simpler faces, circles of decreasing size and squares of decreasing quantity. Children aged 4–11 years old were interviewed to test whether they understood the response scale using the new images and if they answered in the same way as with the original images. Interviews were conducted in two stages, with expert guidance at key stages. Results showed that children can interpret and understand the newly developed images and that they answer the questions the same as they would using the original images. These new images have the advantages of being culturally neutral and easier to implement on an electronic device. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41687-021-00390-2.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência de alimentos fonte de ácido fólico sobre a sintomatologia da asma. Foram entrevistados 59 participantes de Estados da Região Sul do Brasil, acima de 18 anos, aos quais foi aplicado um formulário adaptado que consistia em uma anamnese nutricional, contendo perguntas sobre o histórico do indivíduo, sintomatologia da asma, fase da vida em que a doença se desenvolveu, além do preenchimento da Escala de Borg Modificada. Para análise dos dados foram utilizados os programas Statistica, GraphPadPrism 7.0 e Avanutri. Dos 59 entrevistados, a maioria era adultos (83%), do gênero feminino (72%) e residiam no Paraná (47%). Quanto à respiração, 22% dos entrevistados relataram possuir respiração adequada, 22% dispneia leve, 45,7% dispneia moderada e 10,3% dispneia grave, sendo 33% do total de indivíduos diagnosticados com asma na fase adulta. Sobre a Escala de Borg Modificada, 84% apresentavam sintomas frequentes da patologia, 55,9% crises esporádicas, 62,7% faziam uso de broncodilatadores, 74,5% possuíam sintomas noturnos e 61% sentiam interferências negativas na realização de atividades diárias. Em relação à avaliação da quantidade de ácido fólico consumido pelos participantes, pôde-se perceber que nenhum dos participantes atingiu as recomendações diárias da vitamina. Ademais, não foi observada a existência de correlação entre o consumo de ácido fólico e a sintomatologia da asma. Através dos resultados do presente estudo não podemos afirmar se o ácido fólico exerce alguma influência sobre a patologia da asma, visto que seria necessário um número maior de participantes para respostas mais conclusivas.

For the first time in Ukraine, phase IV of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) program was realized in Kharkiv region in 2015–2017. 6,330 questionnaires were distributed. 6,146 (97 %) schoolchildren took part in the program. 12.8 % of them had respiratory complaints: 13.2 % of children aged 6 to 7 years, 12.4 % — 13 to 14 years old. These results were compared with the data from ISAAC phase I (V.A. Ognev, 1998) to determine the dynamics of respiratory symptoms prevalence: over the last 19 years, the prevalence of respiratory symptoms has decreased by 1.6 times in children of primary school age and by 2 times — in adolescence. The study was conducted in 8 districts of Kharkiv region (Lozivskyi, Kupianskyi, Vovchanskyi, Bohodukhivskyi, Sakhnovshchynskyi, Barvinkivskyi, Derhachivskyi, Novovodolazkyi) which differ by environmental characteristics. In ecologically contaminated areas, the prevalence of wheezing is 1.4 times higher, exercise-induced asthma symptoms — 1.9 times higher and severe dyspnea attacks disturbing night sleep occur 3.4 times more often. The study is intended to improve the bronchial asthma prevention in children population of Kharkiv region.

Introduction and objectives: Asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease in childhood. However, the latest data on its prevalence in Spain are from Phase III of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), 2004. The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence of asthma symptoms, severity and diagnosis in the paediatric population aged between 13 and 14 years in the province of Salamanca. Material and methods: Cross-sectional multicentre study carried out in 2017–2018 in 13- and 14-year-old school children in the province of Salamanca as a centre participating in of the Global Asthma Network(GAN) Phase I. The standardised validated written questionnaire and that directed by a video was administered; it was self-completed by the pupils. Results: A total of 3485 questionnaires were completed, and the pupils’ participation rate was 95.01%. Among the total, 25.7% indicated having had wheeze ever (20.7% in the video questionnaire); 14.7% indicated having had wheeze in the past 12 months (11.3% in the video questionnaire). The prevalence of current wheeze that limited speech was 3.9% (7.5% in the video questionnaire) and the current prevalence of severe wheeze was 6.5%. Regarding asthma diagnosis, 19.7% of the sample answered that they had had asthma ever, whilst 14.0% referred to having physician-diagnosed asthma. The agreement between the written questionnaire and that directed by video was acceptable for the questions of wheeze ever (Cohen Kappa index [k] = 0.53) and current wheeze (k = 0.42). Conclusions: The prevalence of current asthma (wheeze in the past 12 months) in the population aged 13 and 14 years in the province of Salamanca is higher compared with that presented in 2004 in Spain, but similar to that described at the world level (low-moderate level), according to the ISAAC Phase III studies.

Adolescents with asthma endorse psychosocial difficulties as barriers to inhaled corticosteroid adherence. This study examined patterns of variability in adherence and within-person associations of psychosocial variables with adherence across days. Participants included twenty-five adolescents (Mage = 14.7, SD = 1.68; 48% male) with persistent asthma. We measured adherence via electronic monitoring. Adolescents completed daily surveys measuring asthma symptoms, stress, mood, and affect. We examined within-person differences in the effect of symptoms and psychosocial variables on adherence. Adherence decreased over time. The addition of a random slope improved model fit (− 2ΔLL(1) = 9.36, p

Anna Jetske Baron,1– 3 Bertine MJ Flokstra-de Blok,1,2,4 Huib AM Kerstjens,2,3 Gineke Koopmans-Klein,5 David B Price,6,7 Andrea A Sellink,8 Ioanna Tsiligianni,9 Janwillem WH Kocks1,2,6 1General Practitioners Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands; 2University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands; 3University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, Groningen, the Netherlands; 4University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergology, Groningen, the Netherlands; 5Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals, Leusden, the Netherlands; 6Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute, Singapore; 7Centre of Academic Primary Care, Division of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; 8AstraZeneca, Den Haag, the Netherlands; 9Health Planning Unit, Department of Social Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, GreeceCorrespondence: Bertine MJ Flokstra-de Blok Prof. E.D. Wiersmastraat 5, Groningen, 9713 GH, the NetherlandsTel +31 50 2113898Email bertine@gpri.nlPurpose: Many patients with asthma still have insufficient disease control, despite the availability of effective treatment options. A substantial proportion of patients appear to rely more on short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) rather than on anti-inflammatory maintenance treatment. The aim of this study was to describe differences in indicators of asthma symptoms and exacerbations among patients using more or less SABA than the guideline-recommended threshold of < 3 times/week.Patients and Methods: Data from Dutch respondents in the European REcognise Asthma and LInk to Symptoms and Experience (REALISE) survey were used in this post hoc analysis. The survey included asthma patients aged 18– 50 years with at least two prescriptions for their asthma in the past two years. SABA use was categorized into two groups: < 3 (low-SABA users) or ≥ 3 (high-SABA users) times in the last week.Results: Of the 736 asthma patients, 21% did not use SABA and 19% used SABA 1 to 2 times (all low SABA users) and 60% used SABA ≥ 3 times (high SABA users) in the last week. The majority of high and low SABA users also reported using an ICS-containing treatment. Significant differences were found for all indicators related to exacerbations (p< 0.001): high SABA users more frequently used antibiotics and oral steroids, more frequently visited the emergency departments or needed an overnight hospital stay. Indicators of asthma symptoms were not significantly different between both groups.Conclusion: The majority of a Dutch asthmatic population reported high SABA use and had frequent moderate/severe exacerbations. More effective interventions are needed to change healthcare providers’ and patients’ behaviours to improve care and reduce SABA (over)use.Keywords: asthma, short acting beta2-agonist, SABA, primary health care, adverse effects, guidelines

Background: We previously reported an increased prevalence of asthma among patients who had lived in temporary housing after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. We investigated the prognosis of asthma in former residents of temporary housing after allergen avoidance.Methods: Asthma was diagnosed in adults ≥ 15 years from 2014 to 2019 who had lived in temporary housing in Ishinomaki City for at least 1 year. The disease prognosis after the intervention of allergen avoidance in cases that were followed for more than 3 years during the 6-year study period was analyzed. We measured the Dermatophagoides farinae -specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in serum, and the amount of Dermatophagoides group 1 (Der 1) antigen on their futons or mattresses. We instructed residents in an allergen avoidance strategy that included 32 tasks, including using microfiber bedding covers. Results: Of the 202 examinees who were followed for at least 3 years during the 6-year study period, 72(35.6%) were asthmatic during at least one examination. Of these 72 asthmatics, 55(76.4%) developed the disease after the earthquake, and more than half of the cases that we diagnosed at the examination were mild intermittent asthma. After the allergen-avoidance intervention, both the Der 1 level on the futons or mattresses of residents who were diagnosed with asthma but who were nonasthmatic at the final screening and their serum Der f-specific IgE levels significantly decreased (P < 0.01) at the final examination.Conclusion: Antigen avoidance ameliorated mild asthma that was prevalent among residents of temporary housing after the earthquake.

Introduction: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children. The family and social environment can correlate with the genetic predisposition to asthma and affect the timing and severity of the clinical view of the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the structural relationships of inflexibility and parental psychopathological features on childrenchr('39')s asthma symptoms with the mediating role of childrenchr('39')s anxiety. Materials & Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 200 parents of children with asthma and their children referred to the Asthma and Allergy Treatment Clinic of Shahid Rahimi Hospital in Khorramabad, Iran. The participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. Subsequently, they were investigated in terms of psychological inflexibility, parental psychopathological features, childrenchr('39')s anxiety, and severity of pediatric asthma symptoms. The data were collected using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire; Anxiety, Depression, Stress Questionnaire; Spence Childrenchr('39')s Anxiety Questionnaire Parental Version, and Spirometry. Furthermore, the data were analyzed in SPSS (version 23) and Amos software using the Pearson correlation method. Ethics code: IR.LUMS.REC.1398.065 Findings: Based on the results, parental psychological inflexibility had a significant and positive correlation with childrenchr('39')s asthma symptoms (β=0.47; P

Background Globally, a surge in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has been observed in recent years, with youth being the most susceptible group. Given their recent emergence, studies assessing the health consequences of using e-cigarettes and exposure to their secondhand aerosols (SHA) are limited. Hence, this study sought to assess associations between e-cigarette use and household exposure to SHA from e-cigarettes with asthma symptoms among adolescents. Methods A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted by enrolling high school students (n = 1565; aged 16–19 years) in Kuwait. Participants self-completed a questionnaire on tobacco products use (e-cigarettes and cigarettes) and asthma symptoms. Current e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking were defined as any use in the past 30 days. Household exposure to SHA from e-cigarettes in the past 7 days was reported as none (0 days), infrequent (1–2 days), and frequent (≥ 3 days). Asthma symptoms included current (past 12 months) wheeze, current asthma (history of clinical diagnosis and current wheeze and/or medication use), and current symptoms of uncontrolled asthma (≥ 4 attacks of wheeze, ≥ 1 night per week sleep disturbance from wheeze, and/or wheeze affecting speech). Associations were assessed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation, and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Results Among the analytical study sample (n = 1345), current e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking was reported by 369 (27.4%) and 358 (26.6%) participants, respectively. Compared to never e-cigarette users and never cigarette smokers, current e-cigarette users with no history of cigarette smoking had increased prevalence of current wheeze (aPR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.01–2.45) and current asthma (aPR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.03–3.41). Moreover, the frequency of exposure to household SHA from e-cigarettes was associated with asthma symptoms. For example, compared to those with no exposure to household SHA, frequent exposure to household SHA was associated with current wheeze (aPR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.04–1.59), current asthma (aPR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.13–2.16), and current uncontrolled asthma symptoms (aPR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.35–2.62). Conclusions E-cigarette use and their household SHA exposure were independently associated with asthma symptoms among adolescents. Hence, such observations indicate that e-cigarette use and passive exposure to their aerosols negatively impact respiratory health among adolescents.

Background The role of diet in the etiology of asthma is still inconclusive. This paper evaluated the longitudinal association between diet quality and chest wheezing in young adults. Methods This is a longitudinal study with follow-up information from 18- and 22-year-olds (18y and 22y) of the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort. Chest wheezing occurrence and number of events in the last year were reported at 22y. Diet quality was measured with a revised version of the Healthy Eating Index (IQD-R) for the Brazilian population at 18y and 22y by food frequency questionnaire referring to the last 12 months. The diet quality continuity was classified as good (always 1st IQD-R tertile), intermediate (always 2nd tertile/change tertile) and poor (always 3rd tertile). Results A total of 2986 young individuals were evaluated; 51.4% were female. Prevalence of wheezing at 22y was 10.1% (95% CI: 9.1-11.2), and of these patients, 10% reported at least one event in the past year. Better IQD-R score, both at 18y and at 22y, the lower the odds of wheezing in the past year. Regarding the diet quality continuity from 18y to 22y, staying on a poor diet increased by more than three-fold the odds of chest wheezing (OR=3.28; 95% CI: 1.84-5.84) and of wheezing events (OR=3.32; 95% CI: 1.89-5.85) compared to staying on a good diet, after adjustment for confounding variables. Conclusion The overall quality of the diet seems to be more important than the individual components in the effect on asthma symptoms. Low-quality diet persistence increased the odds of chest wheezing and the number of events.

Sustained exposure to cleaning products can cause airway irritation and chronic inflammation, triggering asthma symptoms and worsening asthma control [1]. The link between cleaning product use and ...

Comorbid conditions (comorbidities) can complicate the diagnosis and management of asthma. In different age groups, comorbid conditions can present varying challenges, including diagnostic confusion due to mimicking asthma symptoms, exacerbation of asthma symptoms, therapy for comorbid conditions affecting asthma or therapy for asthma affecting these conditions. This review aims to summarise some common comorbid conditions with asthma, such as rhinitis, vocal cord dysfunction, gastro-oesophageal reflux, psychiatric disorders, obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea, and discuss their prevalence, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, highlighting any differences in how they impact children and adults. Overall, there is a lack of data on the impact of treating comorbid conditions on asthma outcomes and further studies are needed to guide age-appropriate asthma management in the presence of these conditions.

Background Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disorder in childhood with worldwide increasing in its prevalence and global burden. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) provides a standardized methodology to describe the prevalence and severity of childhood asthma symptoms all over the world using simple standardized questionnaires that allow comparisons across geographic and linguistic boundaries. This study aimed to find a suitable application of ISAAC asthma questionnaire to improve the perception and response of the middle (preparatory) school students in Al-Sharkiya Governorate as a step to update the Egyptian prevalence of asthma among children through the translation of the ISSAC written questionnaire into Arabic and to compare the student’s response to the translated questionnaire with their response to the same questionnaire after showing ISAAC videos. Results The percentage of student’s positive answers for asthma symptoms in the written questionnaire after watching ISAAC videos was significantly lower when compared to their written questionnaire answers without watching videos with no significant agreement between the student’s answers in the two methods. Conclusion Using ISAAC videos before filling the written questionnaire improved the students’ understanding of and dealing with the written questionnaire.

Objective: To assess the level of adherence to medical prescriptions and recommendations by patients with bronchial asthma (BA), in order to achieve control over the symptoms of the disease; to identify the most common factors of low adherence to BA therapy; to suggest strategies for optimizing treatment compliance. Methods: 92 children with a verified diagnosis of BA were examined. All patients underwent a general clinical, laboratory and instrumental examination, as well as an additional screening test with a mixture of respiratory allergens – the ImmunoCapPhadia® 250 method. The control of BA symptoms was assessed using ACT and ACQ tests. Adherence to BA therapy was assessed using a questionnaire. Results: Analysis of gender differences revealed that the proportion of male patients was 58%; female – 42%. The median age was 11 years. The average age of diagnosis of BA in children was 9 years. All patients were hospitalized during the period of exacerbation of the disease, the proportion of children with an attack of moderate BA – 87%; severe – 13%. An intermittent course of BA was observed in 28%; a persistent course in 72%. Analysis of ImmunoCap Phadia®250 data revealed that in 17.2% of cases class V sensitization prevailed, and the average values of allergen-specific IgE antibodies were 69.82 kU/L. Assessment of the level of control over asthma symptoms and the use of AST and ACQ tests revealed that partially controlled the course of BA was noted by 56% and uncontrolled over 46% of children. Analysis of the «Questionnaire of adherence to treatment of bronchial asthma (BA) in children», differences were found in the response to questions: «Do you experience difficulties in using the inhaler?» (χ2=8.952; p=0.003), «Was there any reluctance to take medications?» (χ2=4.715; p=0.03); «Does it happen that you forget to take drugs one/several days?» (χ2=5.093; p=0.025), «Are you satisfied with the prescribed therapy for BA?» (χ2=5.093; p=0.025). Conclusions: In order to achieve success in long-term control of the symptoms of BA in a patient, a comprehensive approach to the treatment and prevention of exacerbation of BA is required with an individual approach to each child, both from the doctor and from an adult who participates in the conduct and adherence to doctors appointments. Keywords: Asthma, children, adherence, compliance, symptom control.

OBJECTIVE: It is unclear whether research participation effects contribute to an improvement in asthma symptoms during clinical trials in the absence of any active intervention. We examined the impact of additional follow-up surveys on caregiver-reported symptoms among control subjects in a series of randomized controlled asthma trials. METHODS: We analyzed baseline and follow-up data for children (3–10 yrs.) with poorly controlled persistent asthma that participated as control subjects in 1 of 3 randomized trials of urban school-based asthma care (study duration: 7–10 months). We compared mean symptom-free days (SFD) per 2 weeks between baseline and final follow-up; performed bivariate regressions to explore associations between demographics and changes in SFD; and performed multivariate random-effects generalized least square regression to examine the relationship between number of follow-ups beyond baseline (range: 1–10) and changes in SFD over time. RESULTS: 516 children were enrolled as controls across the 3 trials (mean age 7.5 yrs., 61% Black, 28% Hispanic, 81% Medicaid). Mean SFDs increased significantly from baseline to final follow-up (7.8 to 11.4 days, P

Background: asthma is a highly variable disease, with changes in the severity over months and years. In addition to achieving asthma control, many patients experience challenges in the long-term maintenance of this condition. Good symptom control is a volatile entity even in mild asthma. The loss of asthma control is accounted for by poor adherence to treatment due the fears of taking hormonal therapy, contact with an allergen, respiratory viral infections, and the inconvenience of using the inhaler resulting in incorrect inhaler technique. Aim: to assess the control over asthma and adherence to treatment in young patients with mild-to-moderate asthma. Patients and Methods: 146 patients with verified mild-to-moderate asthma were examined. All patients were divided into two groups based on disease severity. Results: at the time of examination, the lack of the control over asthma symptoms was reported in 89% of the patients. In mild asthma, mean Asthma Control Test (AST) score was 17 [15; 21] and АCQ-5 (Asthma Control Questionnaire) score was 1.8 [1.4; 2.2]. Meanwhile, in moderate asthma, mean AST score was 15 [12; 21] and АCQ-5 score was 1.8 [1.4; 2.2]. Poor medication adherence measured by the Morisky Green Levine Medication Adherence Scale was revealed in 94% of the patients with mild asthma and 91% of the patients with moderate asthma. Conclusion: poor patient’s knowledge on asthma and little awareness of the long-term importance of regular basic therapy are the critical factors contributing to poor medication adherence. Therefore, novel approaches to patient education as well as optimized and personalized therapeutic strategies are currently important for achieving and maintaining the control over asthma symptoms. KEYWORDS: asthma, asthma control, stable course, young patients, adherence to treatment. FOR CITATION: Leont’eva N.M., Demko I.V., Sobko E.A., Ishchenko O.P. Level of asthma symptom control and adherence to treatment in young patients. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2020;4(4):180–185. DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2020-4-4-180-185.

Aim. To study indicators of quality of life and adherence to treatment of patients with severe bronchial asthma. Materials and methods . The study included 120 patients with severe bronchial asthma with uncontrolled course of the disease, taking basic anti-inflammatory therapy. Adherence to the therapy was assessed using a modified MoriskyGreen questionnaire and a questionnaire «Test of the Adherence to Inhalers – TAI». The quality of life was assessed using an AQLQ questionnaire. Results. The study showed: according to the Morisky–Green adherence questionnaire in patients with severe asthma there was low intentional adherence to the basic anti-inflammatory therapy, which is formed mainly due to the missing of the drug in good health inattention to the clock medication and skipping of the medication. According to the questionnaire «Test of the Adherence to Inhalers» it was found out that most patients are committed to therapy and ere was no unintentional non-commitment to the doctor’s therapy. Conclusion . In assessing the quality of life of patients with severe bronchial asthma it was revealed that the greatest impact asthma symptoms have on the emotional state, daily activity of the patient and the overall quality of life.

Background: Effective and reliable monitoring of asthma at home is a relevant factor that may reduce the need to consult a doctor in person.Aim: We analyzed the possibility to determine intensities of pathological breath phenomena based on artificial intelligence (AI) analysis of sounds recorded during standard stethoscope auscultation.Methods: The evaluation set comprising 1,043 auscultation examinations (9,319 recordings) was collected from 899 patients. Examinations were assigned to one of four groups: asthma with and without abnormal sounds (AA and AN, respectively), no-asthma with and without abnormal sounds (NA and NN, respectively). Presence of abnormal sounds was evaluated by a panel of 3 physicians that were blinded to the AI predictions. AI was trained on an independent set of 9,847 recordings to determine intensity scores (indexes) of wheezes, rhonchi, fine and coarse crackles and their combinations: continuous phenomena (wheezes + rhonchi) and all phenomena. The pair-comparison of groups of examinations based on Area Under ROC-Curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the performance of each index in discrimination between groups.Results: Best performance in separation between AA and AN was observed with Continuous Phenomena Index (AUC 0.94) while for NN and NA. All Phenomena Index (AUC 0.91) showed the best performance. AA showed slightly higher prevalence of wheezes compared to NA.Conclusions: The results showed a high efficiency of the AI to discriminate between the asthma patients with normal and abnormal sounds, thus this approach has a great potential and can be used to monitor asthma symptoms at home.

Background Smoking and occupational airborne exposures are known to increase asthma symptoms, but less is known about their influence by the age of asthma diagnosis. Objective To evaluate the effect of exposures to VGDF (vapors, gases, dusts and fumes), tobacco smoke and their combination for asthma symptoms comparing subjects with asthma diagnosed in childhood and adulthood. Methods A random sample of 16 000 adults aged 20–69 years were invited to a postal survey on obstructive pulmonary diseases in Finland in 2016. Those reporting physician-diagnosed asthma and age at diagnosis were included in the analysis and their reported VGDF-exposure and smoking habits were analyzed. Age 18 years was chosen to delineate child- and adult-diagnosed asthma. Results 8199 (51.5%) responded. Of the responders, 831 reported physician-diagnosed asthma. 41% of asthmatics reported child-diagnosed and 59% adult-diagnosed asthma. Current smoking was reported by 25.2% and 20.2% and VGDF exposure by 31.3% and 44.7% in child -diagnosed and adult-diagnosed asthma, respectively. Combined VGDF-exposure and current smoking was reported by 9.7% and 10.6%, respectively. Compared to the unexposed, those with asthma diagnosed in childhood and with combined current smoking and VGDF exposure, had higher prevalence of wheeze (69.7% vs 39.5%, p=0.009), sputum production (39.4% vs 11.4%, p=0.001) and morning dyspnea (42.4% vs 21.9%, p=0.002). Corresponding pattern was seen in those with asthma diagnosed in adulthood; for wheeze (78.8% vs 53.6%, p=0.007), sputum production (40.4% vs 25.0%, p=0.014) and morning dyspnea (65.4% vs 42.0%, p=0.008). Child-diagnosed asthmatics both without exposure history (46.5% vs 69.6%, p=0.001) and with combined exposure to smoking and VGDF (66.7% vs 94.2%, p=0.003) reported less often ≥3 symptoms compared to adult-diagnosed asthmatics, even though they reported less frequently use of asthma medication (60.7% vs 82.0%, p>0.001). Smoking asthmatics with adult-diagnosis and exposure to VGDF had the highest prevalence estimates of having multiple symptoms (94.2%) in our study. Conclusion Although asthmatics diagnosed in child- and adulthood reported symptoms related to exposure to smoking and VGDF, symptoms were reported more often by those with adult diagnosis. The results indicate the importance of targeted asthma treatment and follow-up by patient’s exposure history and asthma diagnosis age.

It is poorly understood why asthma symptoms are often discordant with objective medical tests. Differences in interoception (perception of internal bodily processes) may help explain symptom discordance, which may be further influenced by mood and attention. We explored inter-relationships between interoception, mood and attention in 63 individuals with asthma and 30 controls. Questionnaires, a breathing-related interoception task, two attention tasks, and standard clinical assessments were performed. Questionnaires were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, and linear regression examined relationships between measures. K-means clustering also defined asthma subgroups. Two concordant asthma subgroups (symptoms related appropriately to pathophysiology, normal mood) and one discordant subgroup (moderate symptoms, minor pathophysiology, low mood) were found. In all participants, negative mood correlated with decreased interoceptive ability and faster reaction times in an attention task. Our findings suggest that interpreting bodily sensations relates to mood, and this effect may be heightened in subgroups of individuals with asthma., Biological Psychology, 165, ISSN:0301-0511, ISSN:1873-6246

Objective: Children and young people living with asthma have an increased risk of overweight/obesity, leading to increased severity of asthma symptoms. Weight management has been recommended to improve asthma symptoms, however, there is limited understanding of how this is experienced or how children and young people with asthma and their families wish to be supported. The aim of this study was to explore parents and children/young people’s views and experiences of managing weight while living with asthma, and to identify acceptable strategies for support. Methods: A qualitative methodological approach was taken to facilitate rich understanding of families’ insights into weight management while living with asthma. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine families living with pediatric asthma (n = 9 parents, 9 young people). Data were analyzed using a Framework approach. Results: Findings indicated that family engagement with weight management behaviors was primarily influenced by perceptions of risk regarding asthma outcomes and beliefs about asthma control. Families also reported weight management engagement to be influenced by perceptions of the food environment, perceptions of the exercise environment (e.g. weather, anticipated social outcomes) and the availability of weight management support. Participants sought tailored support which gave consideration to the asthma-obesity interaction. It was suggested that this would help reduce perceptions of weight stigma in consultations, thereby supporting behavioral changes. Conclusions: Individualized weight management plans that consider families concerns about asthma-related risk are needed to manage weight in children and young people living with asthma.

Respiratory disease and its complication are the cause of children deaths worldwide every year. Several epidemiological studies pointed out an association between quality of residential in inner city and risk of children health. Few studies had been focused on respiratory and asthma symptoms in high-polluted urban area in low to middle income countries. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between residential environments and respiratory symptoms including asthma among 658 primary school children aged between 6 to 10 years who have been living in high-polluted urban area of Bangkok Thailand. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire was modified and used for symptom self-report during the past 12 months. Binary logistic regression model was performed to find the associations. The results showed that living near garment and clothing shop is associated with shortness of breath (AOR = 1.846; 95%CI 1.034, 3.297). Vectors in home is related to dry cough at night (AOR = 1.505; 95%CI 1.052, 2.153) and phlegm (AOR = 1.414; 95%CI 1.014, 1.973). Wall dampness is increased odd of having wheezing or whistling (asthma) in the chest (AOR = 1.921; 95%CI 1.141, 3.235). Housing quality and living environments to reduce respiratory and asthma symptoms among urban children must be improved to address these risks.

Background: The present study was carried out to observe the relationship between total IgE levels and spirometry in asthma. Methodology: The study was carried out in KBN Hospital Respiratory clinics OPD. Total 100 patients with asthma symptoms were taken in study, with no other systemic disorder. Serum IgE levels were measured by ELISA technique, value >100IU/ml were taken as positive, spirometry was conducted on all patient by using USB spirometer according to ATS standard data were analyzed. Results: We included 100 patients of asthma in our study, serum IgE levels varied markedly showing IgE levels-90% (50% >100IU/l and 40% >400IU/l) of IgE levels were more than 100IU/l and 10% were less than 100IU/l spirometery showed 60% were having FEV1/FVC%>80% and 40% were

Asthma is one of the main chronic diseases in childhood, due to its high prevalence and its social and health costs. This document is a summary of a consensus guideline approved by 6 Spanish pediatric societies related to asthma and endorsed by the Spanish Pediatric Association. Asthma is easily identifiable by clinical criteria in most patients. Spirometry and other tests are helpful for diagnosis, especially in atypical cases. Asthma exacerbation is a frequent manifestation of the disease and must be identified and treated promptly. When asthma symptoms are frequent and the quality of life is affected, maintenance treatment must be instituted to achieve control of the disease. Low-dose inhaled corticosteroids are effective and safe for long-term use. Education of the patient with asthma is essential for good control. The main reason for poor asthma control is non-compliance with treatment, either due to its erratic and insufficient administration, or due to poor application technique of inhaled drugs. If control is not obtained despite adequate treatment, the diagnosis must be reconsidered, as well as the factors or comorbidities that make control difficult. Other drugs can be added to avoid high doses of inhaled corticosteroids, notably montelukast or long-acting β2 adrenergic agonists. Severe or difficult-to-control asthma, which does not respond to the usual treatments, should be managed in specialized units. Resumen: El asma es una de las principales enfermedades crónicas de la infancia, por su elevada prevalencia y por su coste sociosanitario. Este artículo es un resumen de la guía de consenso alcanzada por 6 sociedades pediátricas relacionadas con el asma y avalada por la Asociación Española de Pediatría. El asma es fácilmente identificable por criterios clínicos en la mayoría de los pacientes. La espirometría y otras pruebas son de gran ayuda, especialmente en los casos atípicos. La crisis de asma es una manifestación frecuente de la enfermedad y debe ser identificada y tratada con prontitud. Cuando los síntomas de asma son frecuentes y afectan a la calidad de vida es preciso instaurar un tratamiento de mantenimiento para conseguir el control de la enfermedad. Los glucocorticoides inhalados a dosis bajas son eficaces y seguros para su uso prolongado. La educación del paciente con asma es esencial para obtener un buen control. El principal motivo de mal control del asma es el incumplimiento del tratamiento, ya sea por su administración errática e insuficiente, o por la mala técnica de administración de los fármacos inhalados. Si no se obtiene el control pese a un tratamiento adecuado es preciso reconsiderar el diagnóstico, así como los factores o comorbilidades que dificultan el control. Se pueden añadir otros fármacos para evitar las dosis altas de los glucocorticoides inhalados, principalmente el montelukast o los agonistas β2 adrenérgicos de acción prolongada. El asma grave o de difícil control, que no responde a las medidas habituales, debe ser atendida en unidades especializadas.

Global industrialization and urbanization have led to increased levels of air pollution. Those with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, are at the highest risk for adverse health effects and reduced quality of life. Studying the relationship between pollutants and symptoms is usually achieved with data from government air quality monitoring stations, but these fail to report the spatial and temporal resolution required to track a person’s true exposure, especially when the majority of their time is spent indoors. We develop and build eight wrist-worn wearable devices, weighing only 64 g, to measure known asthma symptom triggers: ozone, total volatile organic compounds, temperature, humidity, and activity level. The devices use commercial off-the-shelf components, costing under $150 each to build. This report focuses on the design, calibration, and testing of the devices. Emphasis is placed on the calibration of a metal–oxide–semiconductor gas sensor for detecting ozone, which is a difficult task because of the large variations in ambient temperature and humidity found when using a wearable device. Examples of testing the devices in four real environments are also discussed: 11 days inside a well-ventilated laboratory, ten days outdoors during the summer, alternating the devices between indoor and outdoor environments to examine their response to quickly changing environments, and a field test where scripted activities are performed for a full day. The work demonstrates a wearable device for environmental health studies and addresses the challenges of existing sensors for real-world applications.