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Murine Model of Allergen Induced Asthma
08:05

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Published on: May 14, 2012

An unidentified monster in the bed--assessing nocturnal asthma in children

Darrell Ginsberg1

  • 1Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine Rappaport Building, 7 Rehov Efron, Bat Galim, Haifa, Israel. Ginsberg@tx.technion.ac.il

Mcgill Journal of Medicine : MJM : an International Forum for the Advancement of Medical Sciences by Students
|September 16, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Nocturnal asthma (NA) is underdiagnosed in children. An automated wheeze detection device offers an objective, home-based solution for diagnosing and monitoring this condition, improving quality of life.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Pulmonology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Nocturnal asthma (NA) prevalence is rising globally, impacting millions and decreasing quality of life.
  • NA-related sleep disturbances in children cause behavioral and developmental issues.
  • Current diagnostic methods like diurnal spirometry are impractical for NA, relying on unreliable self/parental reports.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the increasing prevalence of nocturnal asthma (NA) in children.
  • To discuss current diagnostic challenges and consequences of undiagnosed NA.
  • To propose an objective, home-based diagnostic tool for NA in children.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on nocturnal asthma prevalence, diagnosis, and impact.
  • Analysis of limitations of current diagnostic tools (spirometry, self/parental reports).
  • Exploration of wheeze detection during sleep as a diagnostic marker.

Main Results:

  • Nocturnal asthma is chronically underreported due to underestimation by children and lack of parental/physician awareness.
  • Existing diagnostic tools are impractical or unreliable for assessing NA in children.
  • Wheeze detection during sleep has shown promise as a diagnostic measure for NA.

Conclusions:

  • An automated wheeze detection device is proposed as an objective and practical tool for diagnosing and monitoring nocturnal asthma in children.
  • This technology could address the underreporting of NA and improve patient outcomes.
  • Improved diagnosis and monitoring are crucial for managing NA and mitigating its effects on children's quality of life.

Keywords:
ChildrenNocturnal asthmaSleep disturbancesWheeze

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