Asthma- Clinical features in children Flashcards
What is asthma
Wheeze
Variability
Response to treatment
What is the aetiology of asthma
Depends on:
Host response to env.
Response to infections
Abnormal Physiology
Is a syndrome
What makes asthma so complicated
Many inconsistencies in how it develops
What are some inconsistencies
Can be:
Short term/Long term affects
VIW vs Asthma
Different severeties
Different ages of onset
What % of asthma can be explained by hereditory factors
30-80%
around 10 genetic varients in children
“Gene pulls gun, env. pulls trigger”
Does allergy cause asthma
Probably not
If there is a skin abnormality
Eg eczema
Allergy fuels asthma after
What is the epidemiology of Asthma in UK
1.1mil UK children
110,000 in Scotland
5% children on ICS
How can early life affect life expectancy
What happens in early life is a good estimation for what happens later on
When are asthma tests useful in children
For exluding not diagnosing
What are some different asthma tests
Spirometry
Exhaled nitric oxide
all unreliable
How is wheeze important in asthma
Must have in order to be asthma
Not just by itself though
How is treatment used to detect Asthma
ICS for 2 months
Then holiday from ICS to remove false-positive
See if treatment worsens again then treat to finalise if its Asthma
What are the ideal symptoms for asthma
Wheeze
SOB
Parental Asthma
Responds to treatment
What are the harms of trial of treatment
Cost
0.5-1cm loss in height
Oral thrush
What are benefits of trial of treatment
Improved QoL
Reduces risk of attacks
Helps diagnosis
An easy way to deal with wheeze
What is the approach to a preschool cough
