Academic Journal
Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 02 Apr 2012 - 6:00 PDT
email to a friend 
printer friendly 
opinions
According to a new study from researchers in Denmark published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, children who develop asthma by the time they are seven years old have deficits in lung function and increased bronchial responsiveness as neonates.
Leading researcher Hans Bisgaard, MD, DMSci, professor of pediatrics at the University of Copenhagen and head of the Danish Pediatric Asthma Centre commented:
"Previous research on the relationship between neonatal lung function and the development of asthma has been conflicting. Our study shows that children with asthma by age seven already had significant airflow deficits and increased bronchial responsiveness as neonates. Lung function deficits also progressed throughout childhood in our study, suggesting a potential opportunity for early intervention."
The researchers recruited a birth cohort of 411 at-risk children of asthmatic mothers, performing a spirometry in 403 (98%) infants at the age of one month in 403 (98 percent) children and again when they were seven years old (317 children or 77%).
The findings revealed that 14% of children who developed asthma by the age of seven years had substantial neonatal airflow deficits that was measured by forced expiratory flow at 50% of the vital capacity and forced expiratory volume after 0.5 seconds.
A narrowing of the airways, which is induced by bronchial response to methacholine, was also substantially linked to developing asthma. The researchers note that neonatal airway reactivity was a stronger predictor of asthma compared with neonatal lung function.
Dr. Bisgaard declared:
"We found that approximately 40% of the airflow deficit that was associated with asthma in our study was present at birth, while 60% developed through early childhood along with the disease. This indicates that both prenatal and early childhood mechanisms are potential intervention targets for the prevention of asthma."
The study's limitation includes using a homogenous study sample, which may restrict an extrapolation of the findings to other populations.
Bisgaard concluded:
"It seems that lung function changes associated with asthma occur very early in life and maybe even before birth. This may explain the lack of effect from early intervention with inhaled corticosteroids and should direct research into the pathogenesis and prevention of asthma towards the earliest phases of life."
Written by Petra Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
MLA
APA
Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.
Add Your Opinion On This Article
'Asthmatic Children Had Lung Function Deficits As Newborns'Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.
All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)
Contact Our News Editors
For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.
Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:
Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/UByrFe4pZps/243647.php
herpes symptoms images abreva genital herpes igg herpes test dating for herpes herpes eyes pictures
No comments:
Post a Comment