Children's views on artificial intelligence and digital twins for the daily management of their asthma: a mixed-method study.

New technologies enable the creation of digital twin systems (DTS) combining continuous data collection from children's home and artificial intelligence (AI)-based recommendations to adapt their care in real time. The objective was to assess whether children and adolescents with asthma would be ready to use such DTS. A mixed-method study was conducted with 104 asthma patients aged 8 to 17 years. The potential advantages and disadvantages associated with AI and the use of DTS were collected in semi-structured interviews. Children were then asked whether they would agree to use a DTS for the daily management of their asthma. The strength of their decision was assessed as well as the factors determining their choice. The main advantages of DTS identified by children were the possibility to be (i) supported in managing their asthma (ii) from home and (iii) in real time. Technical issues and the risk of loss of humanity were the main drawbacks reported. Half of the children (56%) were willing to use a DTS for the daily management of their asthma if it was as effective as current care, and up to 93% if it was more effective. Those with the best computer skills were more likely to choose the DTS, while those who placed a high value on the physician-patient relationship were less likely to do so.   Conclusions: The majority of children were ready to use a DTS for the management of their asthma, particularly if it was more effective than current care. The results of this study support the development of DTS for childhood asthma and the evaluation of their effectiveness in clinical trials. What is Known: • New technologies enable the creation of digital twin systems (DTS) for children with asthma. • Acceptance of these DTSs by children with asthma is unknown. What is New: • Half of the children (56%) were willing to use a DTS for the daily management of their asthma if it was as effective as current care, and up to 93% if it was more effective. •Children identified the ability to be supported from home and in real time as the main benefits of DTS.

[Digital adaptation of a therapeutic education program in the context of Covid-19]. / Adaptation numérique d'un programme d'éducation thérapeutique dans le contexte de la Covid-19.

The context of containment due to the Covid-19 epidemic forced professionals to suspend their face-to-face therapeutic education programs. For young patients with asthma, the situation was made even more complex by anxiety-provoking communications (which turned out to be inaccurate) about the possible aggravating role of corticosteroids in the event of Covid-19, which led to untimely discontinuations and sometimes to a decrease in their therapeutic adherence, exposing them to an increased risk of poor control of their disease. Faced with the feeling of abandonment felt by some families in this singular context, a team at Trousseau Hospital in Paris decided to rethink and adapt its distance therapeutic education workshops.

Emergence of pollen food allergy syndrome in asthmatic children in Paris.

BACKGROUND: Over the last few decades, the level of pollen from birch and homologous trees has increased in parts of Europe. Sensitization to birch pollen allergens (principally Bet v 1) has been associated with food cross-reactivity called pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in allergic diseases due to IgE sensitization over 25 years in asthmatic children. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study conducted in Paris. We analyzed two cohorts of asthmatic children with similar characteristics explored between 1993-1999 (old cohort = OC) and 2012-2018 (recent cohort = RC). RESULTS: 121 children were in the OC and 120 in the RC. An increase in sensitization to tree pollens was found especially for birch pollen, which was 11.6% in the OC and 31% in the RC (P = .0002). Allergic rhinitis prevalence was significantly higher in the RC than in the OC (96% vs 52%, respectively, P < .0001). IgE-mediated food allergy increased from 6% to 16% in the OC and RC, respectively, (P = .01) mainly due to PFAS. In the RC, a higher mean Bet v 1-specific IgE level was observed in children with PFAS compared to children without (105.7 KU/L ± 17.8 and 48.9 kU/L ± 15.7, respectively, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Allergic rhinitis and food allergy with tree pollen sensitization have increased in Paris over 25 years mainly due to PFAS. Environmental factors could be responsible for these modifications as described in the literature.

Association Between Migraine and Atopic Diseases in Childhood: A Potential Protective Role of Anti-Allergic Drugs.

BACKGROUND: Migraine is a common cause of headache in childhood. Several studies have investigated the association between migraine and atopic diseases, mostly in the adult population. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate this association in children. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted across 3 European tertiary care hospitals between June 2014 and August 2014. Cases (n = 229) were children aged 6-18 years consulting for a migraine episode. Controls in the same age range (n = 406) were consulting for a minor injury and did not have a history of recurrent headache. Logistic regression analyses tested the effect of atopic diseases and anti-allergic therapies on occurrence of migraine. RESULTS: Children with migraine were more likely to have persistent asthma compared to absence of asthma (odds ratio [OR]: 4.57, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.04-10.24) and less likely to have been treated by inhaled or nasal corticosteroid (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15-0.76) or antihistamine therapy (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.18-0.60). The median number of monthly migraine episodes was higher in children with persistent asthma (3; interquartile [IQR]: 1-4; range: 0.5-10) compared to children with intermittent asthma (2; IQR: 1-3; range: 0.1-4) or non-asthmatic children (2; IQR: 1-3; range: 0.1-12) (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Persistent childhood asthma was associated with increased risk of migraine and higher frequency of migraine attacks. History of anti-asthmatic or anti-allergic therapies was associated with decreased risk of migraine in children and adolescents. The role of these therapies on the pathogenesis and occurrence of migraine needs to be further elucidated because of the huge potential impact in terms of public health.

Objectives for algorithmic decision-making systems in childhood asthma: Perspectives of children, parents, and physicians.

Objectives: To identify with children, parents and physicians the objectives to be used as parameters for algorithmic decision-making systems (ADMSs) adapting treatments in childhood asthma. Methods: We first conducted a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews to explore the objectives that children aged 8-17 years, their parents, and their physicians seek to achieve when taking/giving/prescribing a treatment for asthma. Following the grounded theory approach, each interview was independently coded by two researchers; reconciled codes were used to assess code frequency, categories were defined, and the main objectives identified. We then conducted a quantitative study based on questionnaires using these objectives to determine how children/parents/physicians ranked these objectives and whether their responses were aligned. Results: We interviewed 71 participants (31 children, 30 parents and 10 physicians) in the qualitative study and identified seven objectives associated with treatment uptake and five objectives associated with treatment modalities. We included 291 participants (137 children, 137 parents, and 17 physicians) in the quantitative study. We found little correlation between child, parent, and physician scores for each of the objectives. Each child's asthma history influenced the choice of scores assigned to each objective by the child, parents, and physician. Conclusion: The identified objectives are quantifiable and relevant to the management of asthma in the short and long term. They can therefore be incorporated as parameters for future ADMS. Shared decision-making seems essential to achieve consensus among children, parents, and physicians when choosing the weight to assign to each of these objectives.

Staphylococcal Sensitization: A Correlate of Type 2-High Inflammation in Children With Severe Asthma.

BACKGROUND: Sensitization to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin (SE) has been identified to be a risk factor for asthma, but its determinants remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the significance of SE sensitization in children with moderate to severe asthma. METHODS: This was an observational cross-sectional analysis performed from 2011 to 2015 including children from the prospective Severe Asthma Molecular Phenotype cohort: school-age children with severe and moderate asthma or preschool-age children with severe and moderate recurrent wheeze. We evaluated sensitization to four SEs (Staphylococcus enterotoxin A, Staphylococcus enterotoxin B, Staphylococcus enterotoxin C, and toxic shock staphylococcic toxin). RESULTS: We analyzed data from 377 children: 233 of preschool age and 144 of school age. Among them, 26 (11.2%) and 59 (41.0%) children, respectively, had sensitization to at least one SE. The burden of sensitization was higher in older children in terms of both specific IgE levels and the number of sensitizations. In multivariable analysis, SE sensitization was associated with elevated total IgE in both populations (odds ratio [OR] = 9.35, P = .01; and OR = 8.06, P < .01), and with bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophilia in both preschool and school-age children (OR = 3.95, P = .03; and OR = 4.11, P = .03, respectively). Classification and regression trees showed an association of SE sensitization with age and with total IgE in the entire population, and with total IgE, bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophilia, and blood eosinophilia in school-age children. CONCLUSIONS: Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization was correlated with type 2-high inflammation (eosinophilic inflammation and elevated total IgE count) in this population of moderate to severe asthmatic children.

Two novel, severe asthma phenotypes identified during childhood using a clustering approach.

Unsupervised cluster analysis has already been used to identify severe phenotypes of childhood asthma, but without taking into account inflammatory markers. The aim of this study was to define independent homogeneous phenotypic clusters of severe asthma in a cohort of asthmatic children. Cluster analysis was applied to 19 variables from 315 children enrolled in the Trousseau Asthma Program in Paris, France. Three independent clusters of asthma were identified. Cluster 1, asthma with severe exacerbations and multiple allergies: 103 children had more sensitisations to inhaled allergens and food allergens, more blood eosinophils and basophils, more uncontrolled asthma despite high doses of inhaled corticosteroid and more hospitalisations for exacerbation. Cluster 2, severe asthma with bronchial obstruction: 72 children were significantly older, had the highest body mass index, a lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s, more pronounced blood neutrophils and significantly higher levels of all classes of immunoglobulin (Ig), except IgE. Cluster 3, mild asthma: 140 children did not show statistically significant features. These results could lead to improved management of severe asthma in children by optimising treatment strategies, i.e. anti-allergic drugs, such as anti-IgE for children with the allergic phenotype, and anti-neutrophil drugs, such as macrolides for those with the obstructive phenotype.

Maintenance of Asthma Control in Adolescents with Severe Asthma After Transitioning to a Specialist Adult Centre: A French Cohort Experience.

Background: The prevalence of severe asthma in adolescents is estimated at 6.7%. Transition to adult health services is a vulnerable period for adolescents where there is a risk of poor treatment adherence and loss to follow-up. Purpose: This retrospective study evaluated the maintenance of asthma control in young severe asthmatics, 6 months and 1 year after transition to a specialist adult centre. Methods: Patients with severe asthma treated in a paediatric pulmonology centre in the Île-de-France and referred at least 6 months previously to an adult service were included. Asthma control was evaluated by measuring the ACT score and respiratory function. Patients were asked to answer an on-line questionnaire about their experiences during transition. Results: Fifty-four adolescents with severe asthma underwent transition to the adult service between 2014 and 2021. Thirteen patients (25%) were lost to follow-up after an average of 22.4 months of follow-up. Three-quarters (73%) of patients had well controlled asthma with an ACT score ≥20 during transition and the majority were able to maintain good control and respiratory function (>60% FEV1 >80%) during follow-up in adult pulmonology. Among the patients that answered the questionnaire, 64.8% were satisfied with the transition process. Conclusion: Asthma control and respiratory function were maintained 6 months and 1 year after transition to the adult centre in the majority of patients. Most patients were satisfied with the transition process, but several improvements can be proposed, including early discussion of the medical plan and the implementation of procedures to reduce loss to follow-up.

Impact of innate and environmental factors on wheezing persistence during childhood.

BACKGROUND: Persistent asthma in adults starts often early in childhood and is associated with alterations in respiratory function that occur early in life. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of innate and environmental factors associated with occurrence of asthma during childhood in a population of recurrent wheezing infants followed prospectively. METHODS: A cohort of infants less than 30 months old with recurrent wheezing was established in order to assess severity of respiratory symptoms and to look for the presence of atopy and environmental risk factors. At the age of 6 years, they were reevaluated with respect to remission or persistence of wheezing over the previous 12-month period. RESULTS: Data were available for 219 subjects aged 15 +/- 5 months. In 27% of the infants with recurrent wheeze, wheezing persisted until the age of 6 years. In multivariate analysis, stepwise logit analysis showed that the risk factors for persistent wheezing are eosinophilia >or=470/mm(3), allergenic sensitization, and a father with asthma. Environmental factors present during the first year of life that protect from persistence of wheezing are ( 1 ) breastfeeding for longer than 3 months, ( 2 ) pets at home, and ( 3 ) >or=3 siblings. The detection rate for persistent wheezing in this model is 72%. The persistence score showed good specificity 91% but low sensitivity 35%. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the role of atopic host factors on wheezing persistence during childhood and detected protective environmental factors.

Childhood-onset severe hypereosinophilic asthma: efficacy of benralizumab.

Severe hypereosinophilic asthma in children is extremely rare. This letter adds to the existing literature by providing long-term follow-up, and is the first report of the marked efficacy of benralizumab after failure of other biologic treatments. https://bit.ly/2G7Tc2k.

Usefulness of bronchoalveolar lavage in a French pediatric cohort with hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a rare interstitial lung disease in children, and very little data are available on the frequency, diagnosis, and outcomes of HP. In a pediatric cohort with HP, the characteristics of the CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio are often described as nonspecific. METHODS: We used the National French Database (RespiRare) to collect data from the last decade on HP. The diagnosis of HP was defined by the presence of a relevant exposure, clinical symptoms, and compatible lung imaging radiology and was usually defined by positive precipitins antibodies. RESULTS: A total of 16 children with a mean age of 10 years (4-13) presented with HP. All children presented with dyspnea on exertion. Diffuse ground-glass opacity was present in all computed tomography (CT) scans. Research guided by a questionnaire and precipitins antibodies against the corresponding antigens showed that patients were positive for contact with birds with or without fungi. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in 12 children. The total cell counts were elevated in BAL fluid, with a mean value of 36% lymphocytes. The CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio was below one for all children. CONCLUSION: BAL in our pediatric cohort with HP had the same characteristics as that of adults with HP. An HP diagnosis must be considered when dyspnea on exertion and diffuse ground-glass opacity are observed. Carrying out BAL and serological tests can help diagnose and avoid lung biopsy.

Health-related quality of life in infants and children with interstitial lung disease.

INTRODUCTION: Interstitial lung disease in children (chILD) is a highly heterogeneous group of rare and severe respiratory disorders. The disease by itself, the burden of the treatments (oxygen therapy, corticosteroid pulses, nutritional support) and recurrent hospitalizations may impair the quality of life (QoL) of these children. The aim of the study was to compare the health-related QoL (HR-QoL) in chILD compared to a healthy population and to find out the predictive factors of an altered QoL. METHODS: Patients aged 1 month to 18 years with ILD of known or unknown etiology were prospectively included. Parents and children over 8 years old were asked to fill the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scale ranging from 0 to 100 points. RESULTS: A total of 78 children were recruited in 13 French pediatric centers. Total scores were 11.94 points (P = 0.0003) less for child self-report and 14.08 points ( P < 0.0001) less for parent proxy-report with respect to the healthy population. The clinical factors associated with a lower total score were: extrapulmonary expression of the disease, higher Fan severity score, long-term oxygen therapy, nutritional support, and a number of oral treatments. CONCLUSION: Using a validated quality of life (QoL) scale, we showed that health-related-QoL is significantly impaired in chILD compared with a healthy population. Factors altering QoL score are easy to recognize and could help identify children at a heightened risk of low QoL.

Cartoons to improve young children's cooperation with inhaled corticosteroids: A preliminary study.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate if animated cartoons could increase the cooperation of young children with asthma during the delivery of their inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). METHODS: Subjects were children aged 6-47 months having a physician diagnosis of asthma, who required an ICS therapy delivered through a pMDI/spacer twice a day for at least 2 months. Families who reported on a questionnaire that their child was frequently crying or moving during treatment delivery were asked to participate in a prospective, cross-over, randomized study. After a first week of run-in, children watched alternatively, during the delivery of ICS, either an animated cartoon for 7 days and a black screen video for another 7 days. The main outcome was the median percentage of time of non-cooperation, defined by the length of time the child was crying and/or moving divided by the length of time required for delivering ICS. RESULTS: Parents of 50 children out of 113 (44%) reported that their child was frequently crying or moving during treatment delivery. Among these 50 children, 11 (22%) completed the study. The median percentages of time of non-cooperation (IQR 1-3) were 0% (0-3) and 56% (40-97) during the distraction and control periods, respectively, in the first group, and 100% (98-100) and 0% (0-5) during the control and distraction periods, respectively, in the second group. Animated cartoons increased cooperation up to 97% (55-100%) (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Bad cooperation among young children with asthma during the delivery of their treatment can be dramatically improved by the use of animated cartoons.

Central venous thrombosis and thrombophilia in cystic fibrosis: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Catheter venous thrombosis may result in life-threatening embolic complications. Recently, a thrombophilic tendency was described in cystic fibrosis (CF), the significance of which remains unclear. The aims of this study were to (1) document the frequency of catheter venous thrombosis detected by colour-Doppler-ultrasound (Doppler-US), (2) assess genetic and acquired thrombophilia risk factors for catheter venous thrombosis and hypercoagulability status and (3) provide recommendations on laboratory screening when considering insertion of a totally implantable vascular access device (TIVAD) in CF patients. METHODS: We designed a multicentre prospective study in patients selected at the time of catheter insertion. Doppler-US was scheduled at 1 and 6months after insertion and before insertion in case of a previous central line. Blood samplings were drawn at insertion and at 1 and 6months later. RESULTS: One-hundred patients received a TIVAD and 90 completed the 6-month study. Prevalence of thrombophilia abnormalities and hypercoagulability was found in 50% of the cohorts. Conversely, catheter venous thrombosis frequency was low (6.6%). CONCLUSION: Our data do not support biological screening at the time of a TIVAD insertion. We emphasise the contribution of a medical history of venous thromboembolism and prospective Doppler-US for identifying asymptomatic catheter venous thrombosis to select patients who may benefit from biological screening and possible anticoagulant therapy.

Diffuse chondroid malformation of the lung: cases series of a hitherto undescribed congenital lung disease.

Congenital chondroid lesions of the lung are rare pathological findings. They are a constant feature of lung malformations such as giant cystic pulmonary chondroid hamartoma, chondroid cystic malformation, and in the "cartilaginous variant" of congenital adenomatoid malformation. All of these present as a large single thoracic mass.We present the cases of three males and two females with hitherto undescribed diffuse chondroid lung disease, all but one of whom had neonatal respiratory distress syndrome with interstitial syndrome on chest radiograph. The pathological findings were similar in all patients, showing large areas of disorganized lung parenchyma containing diffusely distributed mature cartilage islands. With a mean follow-up of 6 years, all patients had a favorable outcome. This diffuse chondroid lung disease appears to be a new entity whose initial presentation mimicked interstitial lung disease without the usual clinical, radiological, and histological features. We speculate that it could be part of a clinical spectrum between malformative chondroid lung cyst and congenital pulmonary airway malformation.