儿童哮喘在青春期转归的影响因素

哮喘是儿童期最常见的慢性呼吸系统疾病,部分哮喘患儿在青春期缓解.哮喘患儿的转归一直备受关注,目前研究显示与儿童哮喘青春期转归有关的影响因素主要为性别、起病年龄、病情严重程度、特应性表现、气道高反应性、肺功能、生活环境等.     

The spectral analysis of cough sounds in childhood respiratory illness

Cough is the commonest symptom of childhood respiratory disease and at times may be the predominant feature. The characteristic sound of the cough is often considered by the clinician as a useful diagnostic feature in such conditions as croup and whooping cough. This has prompted a closer study of the physical basis of the cough sounds and their relationship to the pathological processes in the airway.¹ Keleman et al. ² have demonstrated that there are at least three phases to any particular cough, that is, an initial burst due to air turbulence and tissue vibration, followed by a noisy phase, and the final vocalic burst as the glottis forcefully cuts off the air flow. These studies have led to the development of computer assisted methods of evaluation of cough.³ In turn, sound spectral analysis techniques, which have been used extensively to study lung sounds in asthma,⁴ have been applied to cough sounds.^5,6 A microcomputer-based system which allows rapid performance of such analyses has been devised and described recently.⁶     

支气管哮喘特异性免疫治疗的研究进展

目前,通过调节辅助T细胞Th1/Th2平衡和介导免疫耐受等机制治疗支气管哮喘的特异性免疫治疗(STT)越来越引起人们的重视,SIT通过皮下注射和舌下含服变应原疫苗等给药方式区别于糖皮质激素的吸入治疗.STT虽然还存在局部或全身等不良反应和仅作为吸入激素的辅助和附加治疗,但因其具有疗效肯定、持久等特点,随着STT制剂的标准化、治疗的规范,SIT将具有广阔的应用前景.     

Validity and reliability of acoustic analysis of respiratory sounds in infants

Objective: To investigate the validity and reliability of computerised acoustic analysis in the detection of abnormal respiratory noises in infants. Methods: Blinded, prospective comparison of acoustic analysis with stethoscope examination. Validity and reliability of acoustic analysis were assessed by calculating the degree of observer agreement using the κ statistic with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: 102 infants under 18 months were recruited. Convergent validity for agreement between stethoscope examination and acoustic analysis was poor for wheeze (κ = 0.07 (95% CI, –0.13 to 0.26)) and rattles (κ = 0.11 (–0.05 to 0.27)) and fair for crackles (κ = 0.36 (0.18 to 0.54)). Both the stethoscope and acoustic analysis distinguished well between sounds (discriminant validity). Agreement between observers for the presence of wheeze was poor for both stethoscope examination and acoustic analysis. Agreement for rattles was moderate for the stethoscope but poor for acoustic analysis. Agreement for crackles was moderate using both techniques. Within-observer reliability for all sounds using acoustic analysis was moderate to good. Conclusions: The stethoscope is unreliable for assessing respiratory sounds in infants. This has important implications for its use as a diagnostic tool for lung disorders in infants, and confirms that it cannot be used as a gold standard. Because of the unreliability of the stethoscope, the validity of acoustic analysis could not be demonstrated, although it could discriminate between sounds well and showed good within-observer reliability. For acoustic analysis, targeted training and the development of computerised pattern recognition systems may improve reliability so that it can be used in clinical practice.     

Stressful life events and asthma in adolescents

Recent studies suggest that psychosocial factors may contribute to asthma. We examined associations of stressful life events with asthma prevalence and morbidity among Chicago adolescents. Self-reported asthma, measures of asthma morbidity, and 15 life events were collected from 2026 seventh to ninth grade students from 34 Chicago Catholic schools as part of the International Study of Allergies and Asthma in Childhood in 1994–95. Life events were reported by 77% of adolescents and overall asthma prevalence was 15.5%. Stressful life events in adolescents were significantly related to both asthma and asthma morbidity. Odds of asthma was 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07, 1.95) for those reporting two to three stressful events and 1.92 (95% CI = 1.41, 2.62) for subjects endorsing more than three stressful events. In adolescents with asthma, number of asthma symptoms (odds ratio [OR] for increase in one event = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.27), asthma-related school absenteeism (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.32), physician visits for asthma (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.29), and hospitalization for asthma (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.001, 1.44) were significantly associated with the number of stressful events, independent of home exposure to cigarette smoke and dampness, use of inhaled substances, and sociodemographic factors. While these results are not sufficient to assign causality in the relationship between stress and asthma, they are supported by a number of other studies and by plausible biologic mechanisms. Assessing and addressing the effects of stressful life events may be helpful in managing asthma in inner city adolescents.     

Validity and reliability of acoustic analysis of respiratory sounds in infants.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the validity and reliability of computerised acoustic analysis in the detection of abnormal respiratory noises in infants. METHODS: Blinded, prospective comparison of acoustic analysis with stethoscope examination. Validity and reliability of acoustic analysis were assessed by calculating the degree of observer agreement using the kappa statistic with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: 102 infants under 18 months were recruited. Convergent validity for agreement between stethoscope examination and acoustic analysis was poor for wheeze (kappa = 0.07 (95% CI, -0.13 to 0.26)) and rattles (kappa = 0.11 (-0.05 to 0.27)) and fair for crackles (kappa = 0.36 (0.18 to 0.54)). Both the stethoscope and acoustic analysis distinguished well between sounds (discriminant validity). Agreement between observers for the presence of wheeze was poor for both stethoscope examination and acoustic analysis. Agreement for rattles was moderate for the stethoscope but poor for acoustic analysis. Agreement for crackles was moderate using both techniques. Within-observer reliability for all sounds using acoustic analysis was moderate to good. CONCLUSIONS: The stethoscope is unreliable for assessing respiratory sounds in infants. This has important implications for its use as a diagnostic tool for lung disorders in infants, and confirms that it cannot be used as a gold standard. Because of the unreliability of the stethoscope, the validity of acoustic analysis could not be demonstrated, although it could discriminate between sounds well and showed good within-observer reliability. For acoustic analysis, targeted training and the development of computerised pattern recognition systems may improve reliability so that it can be used in clinical practice.     

呼出气一氧化氮浓度测定在儿童支气管哮喘和咳嗽变异性哮喘中的诊断价值

目的 分析呼出气一氧化氮(FeNO)对于支气管哮喘和咳嗽变异性哮喘的诊断价值,并探讨能否应用FeNO区分支气管哮喘和咳嗽变异性哮喘。方法 选取2012年6月至2014年6月150例初诊为支气管哮喘的患儿以及120例初诊为咳嗽变异性哮喘的患儿为研究对象,对两组患儿进行FeNO检测、肺功能检查以及支气管激发试验;同期选取150例健康儿童为对照组,对对照组儿童行FeNO检测。采用受试者工作特征曲线(ROC)分析FeNO对于支气管哮喘和咳嗽变异性哮喘的诊断价值。结果 支气管哮喘和咳嗽变异性哮喘组患儿的FeNO值均高于对照组(P< 0.01),支气管哮喘组的FeNO值显著高于咳嗽变异性哮喘组(P< 0.01);支气管哮喘组FEV1/FVC%、FEV1%pred、PD20较咳嗽变异性哮喘组均降低(P< 0.01)。FeNO诊断支气管哮喘的最佳阈值为19.5 ppb,敏感度为83.3%,特异度为86.7%;FeNO诊断咳嗽变异性哮喘的最佳阈值为15.5 ppb,敏感度为67.5%,特异度为78.0%;FeNO区别支气管哮喘和咳嗽变异性哮喘的最佳阈值为28.5 ppb,敏感度为60.7%,特异度为82.5%。结论 FeNO测定可用于支气管哮喘和咳嗽变异性哮喘的诊断和鉴别诊断。     

Health values of adolescents with cystic fibrosis

OBJECTIVES: To assess health values (utilities) in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to evaluate how health status and clinical factors affect their health values. METHODS: Adolescents 12 to 18 years of age completed the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), Health Utilities Index Mark 2 (HUI2), and 3 health value measures: the visual analog scale (VAS), time tradeoff (TTO), and standard gamble (SG). Severity of illness was measured by percent of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) and frequency of pulmonary exacerbations. RESULTS: The mean age (+/- SD) of the 65 adolescents was 15.1 (+/- 2.1) years; 53.8% were male; their mean FEV(1) was 72.8% (+/- 27.0%) predicted. The mean TTO utility was 0.96 (+/- 0.07) and the mean SG utility was 0.92 (+/- 0.15). In multivariable analysis, the General Health Perceptions domain from the CHQ was the only health status scale significantly associated with the VAS, TTO, and SG. No clinical or demographic measures were significantly related to both TTO and SG scores. CONCLUSIONS: Direct utility assessment in adolescents with CF is feasible. Their TTO and SG utilities are generally high, indicating that they are willing to trade very little of their life expectancy or take more than a small risk of death to obtain perfect health. Their self-rated health perceptions are related to their health values, but, as in adult populations, only moderately so, indicating that health values are highly individualistic. Therefore, health values should be ascertained directly from adolescents.     

Management, asthma control and quality of life in Swedish adolescents with asthma

Aim: In Sweden, paediatricians or general practitioners treat most adolescents with asthma. This study compares management, treatment goals and quality of life for adolescents aged 15-18 y in paediatric or primary care. Material and methods: A random sample of patients answered a disease-specific and a quality-of-life (MiniAQLQ) questionnaire. Results: The 146 adolescents in paediatric care had more years with asthma, better continuity of annual surveillance, higher use of inhaled steroids and a stated better knowledge of their asthma than the 174 patients in primary care. No difference could be detected in asthma control or quality of life. Of all 320 adolescents, approximately 20% had woken at night due to asthma symptoms during the last week. About 15% had made unscheduled, urgent care visits and a third had used short-acting beta-agonist relievers more than twice a week. Quality-of-life scores were high and similar in both settings.

Conclusions: Swedish adolescents with asthma are managed and treated somewhat differently in paediatric and primary care but with equal and, for the most part, satisfying results. The difference between the two settings probably reflects both differences in severity of asthma and different treatment traditions. For all adolescents, better fulfilment of goals regarding symptoms and exacerbations would be desirable, whereas a good quality of life including normal physical activity seems to have been achieved.     

Emotional quality-of-life and outcomes in adolescents with asthma

OBJECTIVE: Examine the association between emotional quality-of-life (QOL) and asthma morbidity in adolescents with asthma. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of 185 adolescents with asthma 11 to 17 years of age cared for in three managed care organizations (MCOs) in the United States. The asthma-specific Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) and a short version of the generic Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition (CHIP-AE) were used to assess emotional QOL. Asthma morbidity measures were: asthma control, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, doctor visits for worsening asthma, and missed school because of asthma. RESULTS: Of the adolescents surveyed, 45% reported feeling depressed, 41% had ED visits, and 30% missed >or=1 day of school because of asthma. Poorer asthma-specific emotional QOL was associated with poorer control of asthma symptoms ( P < .0001), missed school (OR 7.1, P < .05), and doctor visits for worsened asthma (OR = 7.0, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Emotional symptoms related to asthma are common in adolescents with persistent asthma and asthma-specific QOL is related to increased asthma morbidity, healthcare use, and school absenteeism. Adolescents with high morbidity from asthma exhibit poorer QOL. Therefore, the evaluation of asthma-specific emotional QOL should be included in the assessment of adolescents with asthma.     

Prognostic factors in children and adolescents with low-grade oligodendrogliomas

The authors have reviewed available data from 7 pediatric patients with intramedullary spinal cord cavernous angioma (ISCCA) reported in the literature, and added from their own series 2 pediatric patients, for a total of 9 patients. This group of pediatric patients' clinical presentation, course, management and outcome were compared to their adult counterparts as reported in the literature. In contrast to adults, children with symptomatic ISCCA do not show a gender imbalance and the thoracic spinal cord is not predominantly involved. Pediatric patients commonly present with an acute episode and rapid deterioration. A more favorable outcome has been reported in children as compared to adults in the face of relatively similar presenting deficits. As in adults, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains the diagnostic and postoperative test of choice. Complete resection affords the best chance for cure. Symptomatic children with ISCCA characteristically present with an acute deficit and rapid deterioration. MRI of the entire neuraxis is recommended for lesion multiplicity. An attempt at total resection and long-term MRI follow-up are recommended.     

Overestimation of impairment-related asthma control by adolescents

We investigated the concordance between adolescents' perceived and impairment-related asthma control. Based on self-reported medication use, symptoms, and activity limitations, most overestimated their impairment-related control (73.8%). Providers should ask detailed, structured questions to get the most comprehensive picture of a patient's impairment-related control so they can ultimately improve disease outcomes.