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Upper and lower airway hyperreactivity in recurrent croup
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|June 1, 1980
Summary
Children with recurrent croup exhibit airway hyperreactivity, impacting both upper and lower airways. This suggests a distinct pattern of respiratory involvement in recurrent croup cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Recurrent croup is a common pediatric respiratory condition.
- Airway hyperreactivity is a known feature in asthma.
- The specific respiratory involvement in recurrent croup remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate airway hyperreactivity in children with recurrent croup.
- To compare respiratory function in recurrent croup with asthma and healthy controls.
- To identify patterns of airway involvement in recurrent croup.
Main Methods:
- Clinical evaluation including allergy skin tests.
- Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and histamine inhalation challenge.
- Analysis of flow-volume loops post-histamine challenge.
Main Results:
- Fourteen out of seventeen children with recurrent croup showed airway hyperreactivity.
- Recurrent croup and asthma groups exhibited greater fall in expiratory flow rates than controls.
- Recurrent croup group showed a greater fall in inspiratory flow rates compared to asthma and controls.
Conclusions:
- Children with recurrent croup demonstrate a unique airway hyperreactivity pattern.
- This hyperreactivity suggests involvement of both upper and lower respiratory tracts.
- Findings differentiate recurrent croup from asthma and healthy controls regarding respiratory function.