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Clinical characteristics of children with asthma exacerbations: a cross-sectional descriptive study
Ezgi Cay1, Veysel Karakulak2, Ahmet Sezer2
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Balcali Hospital, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
Insights
Asthma exacerbations in children are more severe with bacterial infections, atopic disease, and poor treatment adherence. These factors, along with Alternaria exposure, predict severity in pediatric asthma patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Asthma exacerbations in children are a significant cause of hospital admissions.
- Identifying factors predicting exacerbation severity is crucial for effective management.
- Aeroallergen prevalence in southern Turkey necessitates understanding their role in pediatric asthma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine clinical characteristics of pediatric asthma exacerbations in southern Turkey.
- To investigate the impact of these characteristics on exacerbation severity.
- To identify predictors of severe asthma exacerbations in children.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional descriptive study analyzing retrospectively collected data.
- Included 106 children with asthma and no comorbidities.
- Compared clinical and laboratory parameters between mild/moderate and severe exacerbations.
Main Results:
- 18.8% of children experienced severe asthma exacerbations.
- Severe exacerbations were linked to atopic disease, Alternaria positivity, frequent prior exacerbations, Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, and poor treatment adherence.
- Patients with severe exacerbations showed lower Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1), and FEV1/Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) values.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial infections, atopic disease, and Alternaria exposure are associated with severe pediatric asthma.
- Low spirometric measures and a history of frequent exacerbations predict severity.
- Treatment adherence is a critical factor in managing pediatric asthma exacerbations.
Aim:
In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of children admitted to a tertiary hospital with asthma exacerbations in a city in southern Turkey where aeroallergens are common and to determine how these characteristics affect the severity of exacerbations.
Methods:
Data from a cross-sectional analysis of children with asthma exacerbations who were followed up at the Cukurova University Medical Faculty Pediatric Emergency Department (ED) and Pediatric Allergy & Immunology inpatient clinic were retrospectively analyzed. The study included 106 children who were diagnosed with asthma and did not have any additional comorbidities. In a comparative analysis, the clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of children with mild/moderate and severe exacerbations were examined.
Results:
While 81.1% of the patients had mild/moderate exacerbation, 18.8% had severe exacerbation. Additional atopic disease, Alternaria positivity in the skin prick test, the frequency of exacerbations in the previous year, Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, and the rate of noncompliance with treatment were significantly higher in children with severe asthma exacerbations. PEF, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC values were considerably lower in patients with severe exacerbations.
Conclusions:
Bacterial infections, presence of atopic disease, Alternaria exposure, low spirometric measures, number of exacerbations in the previous year, and low rate of treatment adherence may be relevant in predicting the severity of asthma exacerbations.
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