Bronchial asthma may present with symptoms other than the commonly reported complaints (cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing). Less common symptoms include chronic or recurrent productive cough, inspiratory dyspnoea or recurrent pneumonia. Children presenting with these symptoms are often diagnosed with asthma bronchiale and benefit from antiasthmatic management.
International guidelines for the diagnosis of bronchial asthma list cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing as the four basic symptoms of asthma. The diagnosis of bronchial asthma is based on the presence of two or more of these symptoms over time, together with evidence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and a favourable response to antiasthmatic treatment. In children under 5 years of age, the occurrence of an isolated cough as a possible asthma symptom (cough variant asthma) is also accepted if bronchial hyperresponsiveness is documented and the difficulty subsides on therapy. Pulmonologists also refer children over 5 years of age who have only an isolated cough with no other symptoms before diagnosis. In practice, however, it is also possible to see children whose asthma initially manifests as conditions assessed as recurrent pneumonia, isolated chronic cough of a moist nature or as inspiratory dyspnoea. These atypical symptoms are not oficially counted as asthma symptoms. In this study, the investigators focus on prevalence of typical and atypical asthma symtpoms. Furthermore, the investigators study sensitivity of offical asthma symptom questinaire ISAAC in children with typical and atypical asthma symptoms.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
80
First faculty of Medicine, Charles university.
Prague, Czechia
RECRUITINGPrevalence of typical and atypical asthma symptoms in children with asthma bronchiale
We study prevalence of asthma symptoms in children with newly diagnosed asthma. We monitor atypical and atypical symptoms. Typical symptoms are cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing according to current global asthma guidelines (GINA). Atypical symptoms are not yet fully documented in literature but they might be represented by recurrent pneumonia, isolated chronic wet cough or inspiratory dyspnoea. Comparison of sensitivity of ISAAC questionaire in group of children with typical and atypical asthma symptoms. In practice, however, it is also possible to see children whose asthma initially manifests as conditions assessed as recurrent pneumonia, isolated chronic cough of a moist nature or as inspiratory dyspnoea. These atypical symptoms are not oficially counted as asthma symptoms. In our study, we focus on prevalence of typical and atypical asthma symtpoms. We study sensitivity of questionaire ISAAC in children with typical and atypical asthma symptoms.
Time frame: Initial checkup with asthma symptom documentation and answering the ISAAC questionaire. Suspection on asthma diagnosis and initiation of therapy and scheduled follow-up within 3 months to confirm the diagnosis.
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