Red blood cell distribution width is not a reliable biomarker for low iron stores in children with cystic fibrosis.

Low iron stores in children, absolute iron deficiency (AID), can lead to impaired neurodevelopment and requires iron therapy. In the presence of infection/inflammation, like in cystic fibrosis (CF), serum ferritin (SF) is not a reliable biomarker for AID. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a promising alternative reported not to be influenced by infection in healthy children. Currently, there are no data on the diagnostic capacity of RDW to detect AID in pediatric CF patients. This was a prospective observational study that investigated iron status biomarkers in 53 Dutch pediatric CF patients. AID was defined using World Health Organization criteria for SF in stable patients (no recent pulmonary exacerbation) and C-reactive protein (CRP) ≤10 mg/l. Patients with AID had higher RDW levels than patients without AID (p = 0.019). An RDW ≥13.2% showed the following test statistics: sensitivity 100%; specificity 39.4%; positive predictive value 20%; and negative predictive value 100%. Furthermore, we found a correlation between RDW and CRP in the total group that originated from the stable patients (r = 0.308; p = 0.042). In conclusion, the diagnostic capacity of RDW for detecting AID in pediatric CF patients seems limited because RDW levels might also be influenced by chronic infection/inflammation in these patients.

CT-abnormalities, bacteriology and symptoms of sinonasal disease in children with Cystic Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Sinonasal pathology in adults with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is common but the extent of CT-abnormalities and symptoms of sinonasal disease in children with CF and the age of onset are less frequently studied. METHODS: In this observational, cross-sectional study 58 children with CF from two CF centres were included. All subjects completed a questionnaire regarding sinonasal symptoms, underwent a CT scan of the paranasal sinuses, and in each subject a culture of the upper airways was performed. Subjects were divided in 6 age cohorts (0-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-17years) and were divided into severe and mild CF based on their CFTR mutation. Opacification of the sinonasal system of the subjects was compared with opacification on MRI-scans of an age-matched control group without CF. RESULTS: Most frequently reported symptoms were nasal obstruction and posterior/anterior nasal discharge. Opacification was abundant in every age cohort of the study group and was significantly more compared to the control group. In patients with severe CF the opacification was higher than subjects with mild CF. Upper airway cultures showed predominantly Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CONCLUSION: CT-abnormalities indicating sinonasal disease and symptoms are present from shortly after birth which may argue for a thorough examination of the upper airways in children with CF.

Urinary eosinophil protein X in children with atopic asthma.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between urinary eosinophil protein X (uEPX) and asthma symptoms, lung function, and other markers of eosinophilic airway inflammation in asthmatic school children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in 180 steroid dependent atopic children with stable moderately severe asthma, who were stable on 200 or 500 microg of fluticasone per day. uEPX was measured in a single sample of urine and was normalized for creatinine concentration (uEPX/c). Symptom scores were kept on a diary card. FEV1 and PD20 methacholine were measured. Sputum induction was performed in 49 and FE(NO) levels measured in 24 children. RESULTS: We found an inverse correlation between uEPX/c and FEV1 (r = -.20, P = .01) and a borderline significant correlation between uEPX/c and PD20 methacholine (r = -.15, P = .06). Symptom score, %eosinophils and ECP in induced sputum and FE(NO) levels did not correlate with uEPX/c. CONCLUSION: uEPX/c levels did not correlate with established markers of asthma severity and eosinophilic airway inflammation in atopic asthmatic children.

Long-term asthma treatment guided by airway hyperresponsiveness in children: a randomised controlled trial.

Management plans for childhood asthma show limited success in optimising asthma control. The aim of the present study was to assess whether a treatment strategy guided by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) increased the number of symptom-free days and improved lung function in asthmatic children, compared with a symptom-driven reference strategy. In a multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group, randomised, 2-yr intervention trial, 210 children (aged 6-16 yrs) with moderate atopic asthma, selected on the basis of symptom scores and/or the presence of AHR, were studied. At 3-monthly visits, symptom scores, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) and methacholine challenge results were obtained, and medication (five levels of fluticasone with or without salmeterol) adjusted according to algorithms based on symptom score (reference strategy, n = 104) or AHR and symptom score (AHR strategy, n = 102). After 2 yrs, no difference was found in the percentage of symptom-free days between treatment strategies. Pre-bronchodilator FEV(1) was higher in the AHR strategy (2.3% predicted). This was entirely explained by a gradual worsening of FEV(1) in a subgroup of 91 hyperresponsive children enrolled with low symptom scores (final difference between study arms was 6%). Asthma treatment guided by airway hyperresponsiveness showed no benefits in terms of number of symptom-free days, but produced a better outcome in terms of pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second in allergic asthmatic children, especially those characterised by low symptom scores despite airway hyperresponsiveness.

Health-related quality of life of pre-school children with wheezing illness.

Pre-school children are frequently affected by wheezing illness, with substantial influences on their health-related quality of life (HRQL). The Infant/Toddler Quality of Life Questionnaire (ITQOL) is the only generic health status measure for children aged 2 months up to 5 years. In this present study we evaluated the impact of wheezing illness in pre-school children on the HRQL, using the ITQOL. A questionnaire including the ITQOL and ISAAC questions on frequency and severity of respiratory complaints were sent to parents of patients aged 6 months-5 years visiting the outpatient department with wheezing illness. Scale scores of ITQOL of the included children were compared with general population scores. Using multivariate analysis, the influence of general and clinical characteristics on ITQOL scale scores was evaluated. Results are based on 138 children, 59% male, mean age 34 months. Children with wheezing illness scored differently to the general population sample on 8 of the 11 ITQOL scales. Age, comorbidity and employment of the respondent affected scales on child's physical and emotional functioning and parental functioning. Severity of dyspnoea and wheezing, presence of cough, corticosteroid use, and number of GP visits negatively affected scales on the child's physical and emotional functioning. In conclusion, the HRQL as measured by the ITQOL was lower in a group of Dutch pre-school children with wheezing illness compared to a general population sample. The scale scores were sensitive to age, co morbidity, socio-economic situation, and disease severity.