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Cough frequency in children with mild asthma correlates with sputum neutrophil count

A M Li1, T W T Tsang, D F Y Chan

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong. albertmli@cuhk.edu.hk

Thorax
|May 4, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Children with stable asthma experience frequent coughing, potentially linked to neutrophilic inflammation. This study measured cough frequency and correlated it with airway inflammation markers in pediatric asthma patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Asthma Research
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children.
  • Cough is a frequent symptom in pediatric asthma.
  • Understanding the drivers of cough in stable asthma is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify cough frequency in children with stable asthma.
  • To investigate the relationship between cough frequency and airway inflammation.
  • To identify potential inflammatory pathways contributing to cough in pediatric asthma.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 36 children with stable asthma (median age 11.5 years).
  • Utilized spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) measurement, and sputum induction.
  • Employed 24-hour ambulatory cough monitoring to count coughing episodes.

Main Results:

  • Children with mild intermittent asthma exhibited a median of 25.5 cough episodes daily.
  • A significant positive correlation was observed between cough frequency and sputum neutrophil count (r = 0.833, p = 0.0001).
  • Exhaled nitric oxide levels were elevated, with a median of 56.1 ppb.

Conclusions:

  • Children with stable mild asthma demonstrate heightened cough frequency.
  • Neutrophilic inflammation appears to be a key factor driving cough in this population.
  • Findings suggest a potential therapeutic target for managing cough in pediatric asthma.
Abstract

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