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Updated: Jun 11, 2026
09:58
A Reversible, Non-invasive Method for Airway Resistance Measurements and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Sampling in Mice
Published on: April 13, 2010
Lung function impairment evidenced by sequential specific airway resistance in childhood persistent asthma: a
Bruno Mahut1, Ludovic Trinquart, Plamen Bokov
1Cabinet La Berma, Antony, France.
Summary
Specific airway resistance (sRaw) can identify a distinct group of children with persistent asthma whose lung function declines over time. This finding aids in understanding asthma phenotypes and monitoring disease progression in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Asthma Research
Background:
- Specific airway resistance (sRaw) is a reliable measure for tracking lung function changes in children.
- Asthma management in children requires sensitive tools to detect subtle lung function declines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if specific airway resistance (sRaw) can identify asthmatic children experiencing a decline in lung function.
- To investigate the utility of sequential sRaw measurements for detecting trends in pediatric asthma.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical and functional data from 114 children with persistent asthma on inhaled corticosteroids.
- Longitudinal follow-up with at least three sRaw measurements per year for over 4 years.
- Calculation of individual slopes of sRaw over time to assess trends.
Main Results:
- Overall, sRaw remained stable in asthmatic children aged 4-18 years.
- A subgroup of 17% of children showed a significant annual increase in sRaw (median 12.3%).
- This subgroup with declining lung function was predominantly male, with lower initial and higher final resistance, irrespective of corticosteroid dose.
Conclusions:
- Identified a specific phenotype of pediatric asthma characterized by progressive lung function impairment.
- Sequential sRaw measurements are valuable for detecting subtle lung function deterioration in children with asthma.
- Findings align with previous analyses, reinforcing the clinical significance of sRaw in asthma phenotyping.
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