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Published on: April 13, 2010
Relationship between bronchial hyperreactivity and asthma remission during adolescence
Hiroyuki Mochizuki1, Reiko Muramatsu, Satomi Hagiwara
1Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan. mochihi@med.gunma-u.ac.jp
Summary
Adolescents with asthma remission show reduced bronchial reactivity (Sm), suggesting a key mechanism for outgrowing childhood asthma. This explains why some children remain symptom-free yet hyperresponsive.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Asthma Pathophysiology
- Adolescent Respiratory Health
Background:
- Childhood asthma often resolves after puberty, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
- Understanding asthma remission in adolescents is crucial for managing the disease long-term.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological characteristics of respiratory function in adolescents with varying asthma statuses.
- To identify potential mechanisms behind asthma outgrowing in children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective evaluation of lung function tests and methacholine inhalation challenges in 160 adolescent asthma patients.
- Categorization into remission, intermittent, and symptomatic asthma groups, with comparison to younger children.
- Measurement of bronchial hyperresponsiveness, respiratory resistance, bronchial sensitivity (Dmin), and bronchial reactivity (Sm).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in lung function (e.g., FVC, FEV1) or bronchial sensitivity (Dmin) between intermittent and remission asthma groups.
- Significantly lower bronchial reactivity (Sm) in the asthma remission group compared to intermittent and symptomatic groups (P=.02).
Conclusions:
- Adolescent asthma remission is associated with decreased bronchial reactivity (Sm) but unchanged bronchial sensitivity (Dmin).
- Reduced bronchial reactivity may be a key factor in children outgrowing asthma.
- Findings explain the clinical presentation of symptom-free but hyperresponsive asthma in adolescents.
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