EXHALED BREATH TEMPERATURE IN ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Asthma involves chronic airway inflammation, lacking simple daily monitoring methods.
• Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) is emerging as a non-invasive biomarker for airway inflammation.
• This study aims to validate EBT's role in diagnosing and monitoring pediatric asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of exhaled breath temperature (EBT) in assessing airway inflammation in children.
• To determine if EBT can differentiate between asthmatic and non-asthmatic children.
• To explore the correlation of EBT with various clinical factors in pediatric asthma.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 40 children (aged 6-15 years) was studied.
• Standardized conditions were applied: 24-hour drug abstinence, 2-hour fasting, 30-minute rest, and controlled room temperature (18-25°C).
• Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) was measured and compared between asthmatic and non-asthmatic groups.

Main Results:

• Asthmatic children exhibited significantly higher EBT (median 29.77°C) compared to non-asthmatic children (median 28.22°C) (p < 0.001).
• No significant differences in EBT were observed based on passive smoking, leukotriene use, immunotherapy, allergic status, or sensitization.
• EBT showed no significant correlation with body temperature, ambient temperature, or FEV1.

Conclusions:

• Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) is a valuable, non-invasive method for monitoring airway inflammation in pediatric asthma.
• EBT can effectively distinguish between asthmatic and non-asthmatic children.
• Further research can explore EBT's utility in tracking treatment response and disease progression.