Which Wheezing Preschoolers Should be Treated for Asthma?

Global burden of asthma among children and adolescents with projections to 2050: a comprehensive review and forecasted modeling study

Understanding pediatric asthma is crucial to its effective diagnosis and intervention, as it may alleviate the adulthood disease burden. This epidemiological review describes the prevalence of asthma among individuals under 20 years of age by categorizing them into 3 age groups: 1-4, 5-9, and 10-19 years. Estimates were obtained from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, which covered the prevalence of asthma from 1990 to 2021 across 21 GBD regions with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). We also projected the prevalence of pediatric asthma in 2050 by using a logistic regression predictive model from the existing literature and incorporating body mass index as a covariate with fixed coefficients over time. Overall, a continuous decline in asthma prevalence rates among children and adolescents was observed from 1990 to 2021, with higher rates in males and a peak prevalence rate in the 5-9 years group. Central Europe showed significantly increased prevalence rates compared to those of other regions. Our projection suggests that the prevalence rate of pediatric asthma will decline to approximately 2,608.05 per 100,000 population by 2050 (95% UI, 1,632.94-3,868.26), representing a 39.5% decrease from the 2021 figures. Despite these trends, asthma remains a substantial health burden for children and adolescents that may persist into adulthood. Therefore, proactive diagnosis and intervention are essential to mitigating the associated disease burden.

Characteristics of children with severe preschool asthma prior to starting the TIPP study

Objective

Children with preschool asthma suffer disproportionally more often from severe asthma exacerbations with emergency visits and hospital admissions than school children. However, there are only a few reports on characteristics, hospitalization, phenotypes and symptoms in this age cohort.

Patients and methods

This analysis of an ongoing prospective trial of Tiotropium bromide in preventing severe asthma exacerbations (the TIPP study) assessed baseline characteristics, hospitalizations and symptoms in 100 children with severe preschool asthma. Children aged 1-5 years were analyzed at study enrollment and daily symptoms were recorded by an electronic diary [Pediatric Asthma Caregiver Diary (PACD)] for the following four weeks until randomization.

Results

At enrollment, the total number of severe asthma exacerbations, defined as three days systemic steroid use or hospitalization in the last 24 months, was mean (±SD) 5.8 ± 5.7 and the test for respiratory and asthma control in kids (TRACK) was mean 46.9 ± 19.0. Daily recording of symptoms by the PACD revealed that only 7 patients were controlled at randomization, whereas 35 were partially and 58 were uncontrolled according to GINA.

Conclusion

Despite protective therapy with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), most children of this severe asthma cohort were only partially or uncontrolled according to GINA guidelines.

Deep multiomic profiling reveals molecular signatures that underpin preschool wheeze and asthma

BACKGROUND

Wheezing in childhood is prevalent, with over one-half of all children experiencing at least 1 episode by age 6. The pathophysiology of wheeze, especially why some children develop asthma while others do not, remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

This study addresses the knowledge gap by investigating the transition from preschool wheeze to asthma using multiomic profiling.

METHODS

Unsupervised, group-agnostic integrative multiomic factor analysis was performed using host/bacterial (meta)transcriptomic and bacterial shotgun metagenomic datasets from bronchial brush samples paired with metabolomic/lipidomic data from bronchoalveolar lavage samples acquired from children 1-17 years old.

RESULTS

Two multiomic factors were identified: one characterizing preschool-aged recurrent wheeze and another capturing an inferred trajectory from health to wheeze and school-aged asthma. Recurrent wheeze was driven by type 1-immune signatures, coupled with upregulation of immune-related and neutrophil-associated lipids and metabolites. Comparatively, progression toward asthma from ages 1 to 18 was dominated by changes related to airway epithelial cell gene expression, type 2-immune responses, and constituents of the airway microbiome, such as increased Haemophilus influenzae.

CONCLUSIONS

These factors highlighted distinctions between an inflammation-related phenotype in preschool wheeze, and the predominance of airway epithelial-related changes linked with the inferred trajectory toward asthma. These findings provide insights into the differential mechanisms driving the progression from wheeze to asthma and may inform targeted therapeutic strategies.

Three-year outcome of a very young severe uncontrolled preschool wheezers cohort, a real-life study

Preschool wheeze is a public health issue. Disease control can be difficult to obtain in this population, in which no biologic therapy is indicated. We studied the evolution of severe preschool wheezers in real-life and identified the factors leading to no-control. We conducted a retrospective study at our tertiary asthma center. Each child under 3 years of age with severe, uncontrolled preschool wheeze was admitted to a pediatric day hospital for further investigations. We collected the results of clinical, biological and radiological exams, and follow-up data at 1 (Y+1), 2 (Y+2) and 3 years (Y+3). We included 135 patients; 63 (47 %) were still being followed at Y+3; 53 % were discontinued due to disease control. The median age at inclusion was 12 months. 29 % of patients followed up still had severe uncontrolled wheezing at Y+3. Eosinophils greater than 0.23G/L (p = 0.03) and a first case of bronchiolitis before the age of 2 months (p = 0.01) were factors in uncontrolled wheezing at Y1. Tobacco exposure was a factor associated with uncontrolled wheezing at Y+2 (p < 0.001). A first case of bronchiolitis before the age of 2 months (p = 0.007), male sex (p < 0.001) and a familial history of atopy (p = 0.05) were factors in uncontrolled disease at Y+3. We report a real-life study, with a very young population and very severe wheezing. Our therapeutic approach is original, enabling us to study the evolution of "therapeutic pressure" in the early years of this frequent disease, the pathophysiology of which is still poorly understood.

A smartphone app for preschool wheezing and reliability of medical history collection

BACKGROUND

The use of mobile applications helps improving self-management in adolescents with asthma. However, no evidence is available for children with preschool wheezing. In addition, we have no data on the reliability of medical history collected at visits. The first aim was to assess the feasibility of a smartphone app in the management of preschool wheezing; secondly we aimed to evaluate the reliability of anamnestic data collected during face-to-face medical interviews.

METHODS

Children with recurrent wheezing, age between 25 and 72 months, were randomly assigned to the intervention group, provided with a smartphone app for symptoms monitoring and asthma attack treatment, or to the control group, with a written action plan. At follow-up medical history was collected and the asthma control test and a clinical questionnaire were completed. App acceptability was also explored. Respiratory symptoms, medication and utilization of healthcare resources were collected. Plus, medical information obtained from the paper questionnaires was compared with data daily recorded by the app.

RESULTS

We enrolled 85 preschool children with recurrent wheezing: 43 assigned to the intervention and 42 to the control group. The average (SD) adherence to e-Diary compilation was 60 (15)%. The acceptance and usability of the intervention was favorable as 70% and 93% of participants in the intervention arm described the app as ''simple and intuitive'' at Visit1 (after 3 months from enrollement) and Visit2 (3 months later than Visit1), respectively and 95% and 98% found it useful in symptoms management. There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical outcomes. At Visit1, the cACT median score (IQR) was 23,5 (21-25) for the control group (42 patients) and 23 (21-24) for the intervention group (43 patients). At Visit2 (41 controls and 42 in the intervention group) it was 25 (24-25) and 24 (24-25), respectively. Secondary analysis of data from the intervention group showed higher incidence of daily symptoms recorded by the app in comparison with the paper questionnaire, suggesting that collection of retrospective medical history may not be completely reliable.

CONCLUSIONS

The smartphone app is usable and acceptable by families of preschool wheezers. Future controlled trial are needed to prove an impact on clinical outcomes or its efficacy in a telemedicine program. Finally a daily questionnaire could provide physicians with a more reliable clinical picture as reflected better daily asthma symptoms than the written retrospective questionnaire filled at clinical visit.

Emergency management and asthma risk in young Medicaid-enrolled children with recurrent wheeze

OBJECTIVES

To describe clinical characteristics of young children presenting to the emergency department (ED) for early recurrent wheeze, and determine factors associated with subsequent persistent wheeze and risk for early childhood asthma.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of Medicaid-enrolled children 0-3 years old with an index ED visit for wheeze (e.g. bronchiolitis, reactive airway disease) from 2009 to 2013, and at least one prior documented episode of wheeze at an ED or primary care visit. The primary outcome was persistent wheeze between 4 and 6 years of age. Demographics and clinical characteristics were collected from the index ED visit. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between potential risk factors and subsequent persistent wheeze.

RESULTS

During the study period, 41,710 children presented to the ED for recurrent wheeze. Mean age was 1.3 years; 59% were male, 42% Black, and 6% Hispanic. At index ED visits, the most common diagnosis was acute bronchiolitis (40%); 77% of children received an oral corticosteroid prescription. Between 4 and 6 years of age, 11,708 (28%) children had persistent wheeze. A greater number of wheezing episodes was associated with an increased odds of ED treatment with asthma medications. Subsequent persistent wheeze was associated with male sex, Black race, atopy, prescription for bronchodilators or corticosteroids, and greater number of visits for wheeze.

CONCLUSIONS

Young children with persistent wheeze are at risk for childhood asthma. Thus, identification of risk factors associated with persistent wheeze in young children with recurrent wheeze might aid in early detection of asthma and initiation of preventative therapies.

Dairy intake in association with asthma symptoms among a large sample of children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Background and objective

Dairy products may be associated with an increased risk of asthma, although there is little scientific evidence to support this association. The goal of this study was to explore the association between dairy consumption and asthma symptoms.

Materials and methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on children and adolescents aged 6-8 and 13-14 years living in central Iran. Dietary food consumption was assessed using a multiple-choice questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios for the association between milk, other dairy products, and total dairy consumption with the risk of asthma symptoms.

Results

In total, 7,667 participants (3,414 boys and 4,253 girls) were included in the current study. Milk intake and total dairy consumption were not associated with the likelihood of wheezing, asthma confirmed by a doctor, current asthma, and asthma medication use. In addition, there was no association between other dairy product intake and the odds of wheezing in the past 12 months in the crude model. However, after adjusting for several confounders, those in the top category had lower odds of wheezing in the past 12 months than those in the bottom category (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.40-0.85).

Conclusion

The consumption of dairy products other than milk, including cheese and yogurt, might reduce the likelihood of wheezing in children and adolescents.

Personalised management and supporting individuals to live with their asthma in a primary care setting

INTRODUCTION

Complementing recognition of biomedical phenotypes, a primary care approach to asthma care recognizes diversity of disease, health beliefs, and lifestyle at a population and individual level.

AREAS COVERED

We review six aspects of personalized care particularly pertinent to primary care management of asthma: personalizing support for individuals living with asthma; targeting asthma care within populations; managing phenotypes of wheezy pre-school children; personalizing management to the individual; meeting individual preferences for provision of asthma care; optimizing digital approaches to enhance personalized care.

EXPERT OPINION

In a primary care setting, personalized management and supporting individuals to live with asthma extend beyond the contemporary concepts of biological phenotypes and pharmacological 'treatable traits' to encompass evidence-based tailored support for self-management, and delivery of patient-centered care including motivational interviewing. It extends to how we organize clinical practiceand the choices provided in mode of consultation. Diagnostic uncertainty due to recognition of phenotypes of pre-school wheeze remains a challenge for primary care. Digital health can support personalized management, but there are concerns about increasing inequities. This broad approach reflects the traditionally holistic ethos of primary care ('knowing their patients and understanding their communities'), but the core concepts resonate with all healthcare.

Poorer Caregiver Mental and Social Health Is Associated With Worse Respiratory Outcomes in Preschool Children With Recurrent Wheezing

BACKGROUND

Mental and social health in caregivers of preschool children has been inadequately studied, but it may influence respiratory symptom recognition and management.

OBJECTIVE

To identify preschool caregivers at highest risk for poor mental and social health outcomes on the basis of patient-reported outcome measures.

METHODS

Female caregivers 18 to 50 years old (N = 129) with a preschool child aged 12 to 59 months with recurrent wheezing and at least 1 exacerbation in the previous year completed 8 validated patient-reported outcome measures of mental and social health. k-means cluster analysis was performed using the T score for each instrument. Caregiver/child dyads were followed for 6 months. Primary outcomes included caregiver quality of life and wheezing episodes in their preschool children.

RESULTS

Three clusters of caregivers were identified: low risk (n = 38), moderate risk (n = 56), and high risk (n = 35). The high-risk cluster had the lowest life satisfaction, meaning and purpose, and emotional support and the highest social isolation, depression, anger, perceived stress, and anxiety that persisted for more than 6 months. This cluster had the poorest quality of life and marked disparities in social determinants of health. Preschool children from caregivers in the high-risk cluster had more frequent respiratory symptoms and a higher occurrence of any wheezing episode, but a lower outpatient physician utilization for wheezing management.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregiver mental and social health is associated with respiratory outcomes in preschool children. Routine assessment of mental and social health in caregivers is warranted to promote health equity and improve wheezing outcomes in preschool children.

Short-term and long-term effects of cesarean section on asthma and wheezing: A cohort study and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To describe the short-term and long-term effects of cesarean section on childhood asthma and wheezing.

METHOD

Firstly, in the cohort study, 6640 infants were included in the cohort baseline from January 2018 to December 2019, in which 6501 children completed the follow-up study for respiratory diseases at age 2 years. The effect of cesarean section on asthma and wheezing was estimated by the logistic regression model. Secondly, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies with outcomes of childhood asthma and wheezing under 2 years of age and over 2 years of age, respectively, to investigate the short-term and long-term effects of cesarean section on asthma and wheezing.

RESULTS

In our cohort study, the cumulative incidence of asthma and wheezing was 1.3% (84/6501). 45.5% of children (2961/6501) were born by cesarean section. The adjusted odds ratio for the effect of cesarean section on asthma and wheezing in children under 2 years of age was 1.14 (95%CI 0.73-1.78). Combining previous studies (outcomes of asthma and wheezing under 2 years of age) with our results for a meta-analysis, the odds ratio was 1.15 (95%CI 1.05-1.25, I² = 46.82%). Meanwhile, cesarean section had a long-term effect on asthma and wheezing in the child population over 2 years of age (OR = 1.17, 95%CI 1.11-1.24, P < 0.001, I² = 79.38%).

CONCLUSION

Cesarean section had a short-term effect on asthma and wheezing before the age of 2, in addition, the long-term effect of cesarean section on asthma and wheezing persisted in the child population (under 18).

Blood Eosinophils for Prediction of Exacerbation in Preschool Children With Recurrent Wheezing

BACKGROUND

Although clinical features of type 2 inflammation have been associated with poorer longitudinal outcomes in preschool children with recurrent wheezing, it remains difficult to predict which children are at highest risk for poor outcomes during a routine clinical encounter.

OBJECTIVE

We tested the hypothesis that prespecified cut points of blood eosinophil counts would predict exacerbation and treatment response outcomes in preschool children with recurrent wheezing and that prediction could be improved with the addition of a second biomarker.

METHODS

Data from 3 clinical trials of 1,074 preschool children aged 12 to 71 months with recurrent wheezing were merged. The primary outcome was the occurrence of any exacerbation during follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the annualized rate of wheezing exacerbations and the occurrence of any exacerbation requiring hospitalization. Exploratory analyses focused on exacerbation outcomes, offline exhaled nitric oxide concentrations, and caregiver-reported asthma control scores after inhaled corticosteroid treatment initiation.

RESULTS

Each blood eosinophil cut point was associated with increased odds of exacerbation, higher exacerbation rates, and greater hospitalization occurrence in preschool children with recurrent wheezing. However, outcome detection was improved in children with more elevated blood eosinophil counts. Addition of a second biomarker of type 2 inflammation improved outcome detection and was further associated with an improved response to initiation of daily inhaled corticosteroids in exploratory analyses. However, the specificity of blood eosinophils was poor.

CONCLUSIONS

Although validation studies are warranted, blood eosinophil cut points may be useful for clinical assessment and future studies of exacerbation and treatment response in preschool children with recurrent wheezing.

Bacterial Microbiota of Asthmatic Children and Preschool Wheezers' Airways-What Do We Know?

Asthma is the most chronic pulmonary disease in pediatric population, and its etiopathology still remains unclear. Both viruses and bacteria are suspected factors of disease development and are responsible for its exacerbation. Since the launch of The Human Microbiome Project, there has been an explosion of research on microbiota and its connection with various diseases. In our review, we have collected recent data about both upper- and lower-airway bacterial microbiota of asthmatic children. We have also included studies regarding preschool wheezers, since asthma diagnosis in children under 5 years of age remains challenging due to the lack of an objective tool. This paper indicates the need for further studies of microbiome and asthma, as in today's knowledge, there is no particular bacterium that discriminates the asthmatics from the healthy peers and can be used as a potential biological factor in the disease prevalence and treatment.

Diagnosis and management of asthma in infants and preschoolers

Asthma is one of the most common chronic disease affecting children, and it often starts in infancy and preschool years. In previous birth cohorts, frequent wheezing in early life was associated with the development of asthma in later childhood and reduced lung function persisting into adulthood. Preschool wheezing is considered an umbrella term for distinctive diseases with different clinical features (phenotypes), each of which may be related to different underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms (endotypes). The classification of phenotypes of early wheezing is needed to identify children at high risk for developing asthma later who might benefit from early intervention. However, diagnosis of asthma in infants and preschoolers is particularly difficult because objective lung function tests cannot be performed and definitive biomarkers are lacking. Moreover, management of early asthma is challenging because of its different phenotypic presentations. Many prediction models and asthma guidelines have been developed to provide useful information for physicians to assess young children with recurrent wheezing and manage them appropriately. Many recent studies have investigated the application of personalized medicine for early asthma by identifying specific phenotypes and biomarkers. Further researches, including genetic and molecular studies, are needed to establish a clear definition of asthma and develop more targeted therapeutic approaches in this age group.

Enigma variations: The multi-faceted problems of pre-school wheeze

Numerous publications on wheezing disorders in children younger than 6 years have appeared in the medical literature over the last decades with the aim of shedding light on the mechanistic pathways (endotypes) and treatment. Nevertheless, there is yet no consensus as to the appropriate way to manage preschool wheeze mainly because of the lack of a clear definition of "preschool asthma" and the paucity of scientific evidence concerning its underlying endotypes. A symptom-based approach is inadequate since the human airway can respond to external stimuli with a limited range of symptoms and signs, including cough and wheeze, and these manifestations represent the final expression of many clinical entities with potentially different pathophysiologies requiring different individualized treatments. Hence, new studies challenge the symptom-based approach and promote the importance of managing the wheezy child based on the "airway phenotype." This will enable the clinician to identify not only the child with a serious underlying pathology (e.g., a structural airway disorder or immunodeficiency) who is in need of prompt and specific treatment but also increase the specificity of treatment for the child with symptoms suggestive of an "asthma" syndrome. In the latter case, focus should be given to the identification of treatable traits. This review summarizes the current understanding in management of preschool wheezing and highlights the unmet need for further research.

Current strategies for phenotyping and managing asthma in preschool children

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Half of all children will experience an episode of wheezing by 6 years. Recurrent preschool wheezing is associated with early lung function loss and has a lifelong impact on airway health, so deciding which children should be treated to prevent exacerbations while also avoiding irreversible health consequences is crucial. The purpose of this review is to provide a practical approach to the pediatric patient under 5 years of age with asthma, with particular attention to the recent enhanced identification of wheeze phenotypes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Here, we note the difficulty of defining 'asthma' for this age group and advocate that it be determined by the set of respiratory symptoms presented, without assumptions about the underlying mechanisms of the disease. In addition, we propose a forward-looking approach, what treatment to apply to particular phenotypes, which child should be treated, and, if so, which treatment strategy to choose. No clear recommendation exists for the management of nonallergic preschool wheezing, a substantial clinical and research gap.

SUMMARY

We recommend an empathetic approach to parent anxiety and considering objective markers: timing, severity, and frequency of symptoms, along with an assessment of other biomarkers, including viral etiology, aeroallergen sensitization, and blood eosinophils, that contribute to successful decision-making.

Asthma and Allergy: Unravelling a Tangled Relationship with a Focus on New Biomarkers and Treatment

Asthma is a major driver of health care costs across ages. Despite widely disseminated asthma-treatment guidelines and a growing variety of effective therapeutic options, most patients still experience symptoms and/or refractoriness to standard of care treatments. As a result, most patients undergo a further intensification of therapy to optimize symptom control with a subsequent increased risk of side effects. Raising awareness about the relevance of evaluating aeroallergen sensitizations in asthmatic patients is a key step in better informing clinical practice while new molecular tools, such as the component resolved diagnosis, may be of help in refining the relationship between sensitization and therapeutic recommendations. In addition, patient care should benefit from reliable, easy-to-measure and clinically accessible biomarkers that are able to predict outcome and disease monitoring. To attain a personalized asthma management and to guide adequate treatment decisions, it is of paramount importance to expand clinicians' knowledge about the tangled relationship between asthma and allergy from a molecular perspective. Our review explores the relevance of allergen testing along the asthma patient's journey, with a special focus on recurrent wheezing children. Here, we also discuss the unresolved issues regarding currently available biomarkers and summarize the evidence supporting the eosinophil-derived neurotoxin as promising biomarker.