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Bronchial hyperresponsiveness and asthma in the paediatric population

F Muñoz-López1

  • 1Pediatric Immunoallergology Center, Former Head of the Department of Pediatric Immunoallergology, Clínic Hospital - Sant Joan de Déu Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona.

Allergologia Et Immunopathologia
|March 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

The intensity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) did not correlate with patient age, IgE levels, or family history in children with asthma. Therefore, BHR intensity is not a reliable indicator for predicting asthma prognosis or phenotype.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is a key feature of asthma.
  • Understanding factors influencing BHR intensity is crucial for asthma management and prognosis.
  • Previous studies have explored correlations between BHR and various clinical parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between BHR intensity and clinical data in pediatric asthma patients.
  • To assess the potential of BHR intensity in establishing asthma prognosis or phenotype.
  • To examine the relationship between BHR, age at onset, serum IgE, and familial atopic history.

Main Methods:

  • Methacholine provocation test used to evaluate BHR in 138 children and adolescents (up to 18 years).
  • Patients categorized into six groups based on methacholine required for PD20.
  • Analysis included comparison between patients with and without a family history of atopic disease.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in age at asthma onset or serum IgE levels were observed across varying BHR intensities.
  • No significant differences were found in these parameters between patients with and without a family history of atopic disease.
  • The study found no correlation between BHR intensity and the examined clinical or genetic factors.

Conclusions:

  • BHR intensity is not a valid parameter for establishing a prognosis or phenotype in pediatric asthma.
  • BHR intensity can, however, be utilized as a measure of asthma severity.
  • Further research may be needed to identify other reliable prognostic markers for pediatric asthma.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdolescentsAsthmaAtopyBronchial hyperresponsivenessChildrenGeneticsRhinitisTracheobronchitis

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