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Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
02:34

Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Published on: May 10, 2024

In young children, persistent wheezing is associated with bronchial bacterial infection: a retrospective analysis

Iris De Schutter1, Alexandra Dreesman, Oriane Soetens

  • 1Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, CF-Clinic and Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium. iris.deschutter@uzbrussel.be

BMC Pediatrics
|June 26, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial infections, particularly non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae, are common in young children with persistent wheezing unresponsive to asthma therapy. These infections may explain treatment failure and indicate the need for targeted antimicrobial approaches.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Persistent wheezing in young children presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
  • Evaluating bacterial bronchial infection as a cause of non-response to conventional asthma therapy is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the role of bacterial bronchial infection in young children with persistent wheezing.
  • To identify and characterize the main bacterial pathogens involved in treatment-resistant cases.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of microbiological and cytological findings from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in young wheezers.
  • Flexible bronchoscopy with BAL was performed, with strict contamination control measures.
  • Quantitative bacterial culture (≥10⁴ CFU/ml) and advanced microbiological methods were employed.

Main Results:

  • 48.5% of 33 evaluated children showed significant bacterial BAL cultures.
  • Haemophilus influenzae (30.3%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (12.1%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (12.1%) were the predominant pathogens.
  • Non-typeable H. influenzae strains were identified; respiratory viruses were found in 21.9% of cases.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial infection is frequent in persistent preschool wheezing and can explain non-response to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy.
  • Non-typeable H. influenzae is the primary pathogen, followed by S. pneumoniae and M. catarrhalis.
  • Findings suggest bacterial infections are a significant factor in refractory wheezing in young children.
Abstract

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