[Translated article] Spanish Asthma Management Guidelines (GEMA) v.5.1. Highlights and Controversies.

In this fifth phase of development, the contents of the Spanish Asthma Management Guidelines (GEMA), which include versions 5.0 and 5.1, have undergone a thorough review. The aim here is to set the main changes in context. These could be summarized as follows: DIAGNOSIS: new FENO cut-off and severity classification based on treatment needed to maintain control; INTERMITTENT ASTHMA: a more restrictive concept and treatment extended to include a glucocorticoid/adrenergic combination as needed; MILD ASTHMA: glucocorticoid/adrenergic therapy as needed as an alternative in case of low therapeutic adherence to conventional fixed-dose steroids; SEVERE ASTHMA: readjustment of phenotypes, incorporation of triple therapy in a single inhaler, and criteria for selection of a biologic in severe uncontrolled asthma; OTHERS: specific scoring in childhood asthma, incorporation of certain organizational aspects (care circuits, asthma units, telemedicine), new sections on COVID-19 and nasal polyposis.

Spanish Asthma Management Guidelines (GEMA) VERSION 5.1. Highlights and Controversies. / Guía española para el manejo del asma (GEMA) versión 5.1. Aspectos destacados y controversias.

In this fifth phase of development, the contents of the Spanish Asthma Management Guidelines (GEMA), which include versions 5.0 and 5.1, have undergone a thorough review. The aim here is to set the main changes in context. These could be summarized as follows: DIAGNOSIS: new FENO cut-off and severity classification based on treatment needed to maintain control; INTERMITTENT ASTHMA: a more restrictive concept and treatment extended to include a glucocorticoid/adrenergic combination as needed; MILD ASTHMA: glucocorticoid/adrenergic therapy as needed as an alternative in case of low therapeutic adherence to conventional fixed-dose steroids; SEVERE ASTHMA: readjustment of phenotypes, incorporation of triple therapy in a single inhaler, and criteria for selection of a biologic in severe uncontrolled asthma; OTHERS: specific scoring in childhood asthma, incorporation of certain organizational aspects (care circuits, asthma units, telemedicine), new sections on COVID-19 and nasal polyposis.

Novedades y otros aspectos destacados de la Guía Española para el Manejo del Asma (GEMA), versión 5.0 / Highlights of the Spanish Asthma Guidelines (GEMA), version 5.0

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Disfunción de la pequeña vía aérea en niños con asma controlada / Small Airway Dysfunction in Children With Controlled Asthma

Introducción: El asma se caracteriza por una inflamación crónica de las vías respiratorias centrales y distales. El objetivo de este estudio ha sido evaluar la vía aérea pequeña (VAP) en niños con asma moderada y/o grave con FEV1 normal. Métodos: Estudio abierto, prospectivo, observacional y transversal con inclusión consecutiva de casos con asma moderada o grave, bajo tratamiento clínico habitual con FEV1 basal normal. Se ha determinado la FEno a flujos múltiples (CAno), resistencias y reactancia oscilatorias (R5-R20, X5), espirometría forzada (FEV1, FEF25-75), pletismografía corporal total (RV/TLC) y prueba de broncodilatación. La afectación de la VAP se definió por: Cano > 4,5 ppb, R5-R20 > 0,147kPa/L/s, X5 <-0,18kPa/L, FEF25-75 < -1,65 z-score, RV/TL > 33%. El mal control de asma se definió por ≤ 19 puntos en el cuestionario ACT o ≤ 20 en c-ACT. Resultados: Cohorte de 100 casos, 76 con asma moderada y 24 con asma grave, 71 niños clasificados como mal controlados y 29 bien controlados. El 77,78% del grupo con todas las determinaciones correctas (n =7 2) mostró ≥ 1 parámetro alterado de VAP y el 48,61% ≥ 2 parámetros. No hubo diferencias entre los casos bien y mal controlados. Conclusiones: Los niños con asma moderada y grave, con el FEV1 preservado, muestran un fenotipo de VAP disfuncionante. En nuestra muestra, la evaluación de la VAP mediante las técnicas descritas, no aporta información sobre el control habitual de la enfermedad

Introduction: Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation of the central and distal airways. The aim of this study was to assess the small airway (SA) of children with moderate-severe asthma with normal FEV1. Methods: This was an open-label, prospective, observational, cross-sectional study with consecutive inclusion of patients with moderate-severe asthma, receiving standard clinical treatment, with normal baseline FEV1. We determined multiflow FEno (CAno), oscillatory resistance and reactance (R5-R20, X5), forced spirometry (FEV1, FEF25-75), total body plethysmography (RV/TLC) and bronchodilation test. SA involvement was defined as: Cano > 4.5 ppb, R5-R20 > 0.147kPa/L/s, X5< -0.18kPa/L, FEF25-75 < -1.65 z-score, RV/TLC > 33%. Poor asthma control was defined as ≤ 19 points on the ACT questionnaire or ≤ 20 on the c-ACT. Results: In a cohort of 100 cases, 76 had moderate asthma and 24 had severe asthma; 71 children were classified as poorly controlled and 29 were well-controlled. In total, 77.78% of the group with all the correct determinations (n=72) showed ≥ 1 altered SA parameter and 48.61% ≥ 2 parameters. There were no differences between well-controlled or poorly controlled cases. Conclusions: Children with moderate-severe asthma, with normal FEV1, show a phenotype of dysfunctional SA. In our series, the evaluation of SA using the techniques described above did not provide information on disease control

Small Airway Dysfunction in Children With Controlled Asthma. / Disfunción de la pequeña vía aérea en niños con asma controlada.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation of the central and distal airways. The aim of this study was to assess the small airway (SA) of children with moderate-severe asthma with normal FEV1. METHODS: This was an open-label, prospective, observational, cross-sectional study with consecutive inclusion of patients with moderate-severe asthma, receiving standard clinical treatment, with normal baseline FEV1. We determined multiflow FEno (CAno), oscillatory resistance and reactance (R5-R20, X5), forced spirometry (FEV1, FEF25-75), total body plethysmography (RV/TLC) and bronchodilation test. SA involvement was defined as: CAno>4.5 ppb, R5-R20>0.147kPa/L/s, X5<-0.18kPa/L, FEF25-75<-1.65 z-score, RV/TLC>33%. Poor asthma control was defined as ≤ 19 points on the ACT questionnaire or ≤ 20 on the c-ACT. RESULTS: In a cohort of 100 cases, 76 had moderate asthma and 24 had severe asthma; 71 children were classified as poorly controlled and 29 were well-controlled. In total, 77.78% of the group with all the correct determinations (n=72) showed ≥ 1 altered SA parameter and 48.61% ≥ 2 parameters. There were no differences between well-controlled or poorly controlled cases. CONCLUSIONS: Children with moderate-severe asthma, with normal FEV1, show a phenotype of dysfunctional SA. In our series, the evaluation of SA using the techniques described above did not provide information on disease control.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in parturient women in Gipuzkoa, Northern Spain.

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Southern Europe is poorly understood and its identification is essential for the design of appropriate prevention policies. The prevalence of C. trachomatis in 2011-2014 was determined through polymerase chain reaction in urine samples from 11,687 unselected parturient women from the Basque Country, Spain (San Sebastián area). The overall age-adjusted prevalence was 1.0 % (95 % CI 0.8-1.2). The prevalence of infection in women younger than 25 years was 6.4 % and decreased substantially with increasing age: 2.0 % in 25-29 year-olds and 0.5 % in older women (P < 0.001). The prevalence was higher in parturient of foreign origin (1.9 %, 95 % CI 1.3-2.5) than in Spanish parturients (0.8 %, 95 % CI 0.6-1.0), (P < 0.001). The results of this study support the need to screen young women as part of antenatal care in Spain.

Alveolar nitric oxide and its role in pediatric asthma control assessment.

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide can be measured at multiple flow rates to determine proximal (maximum airway nitric oxide flux; JawNO) and distal inflammation (alveolar nitric oxide concentration; CANO). The main aim was to study the association among symptoms, lung function, proximal (maximum airway nitric oxide flux) and distal (alveolar nitric oxide concentration) airway inflammation in asthmatic children treated and not treated with inhaled glucocorticoids. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with prospective data collection was carried out in a consecutive sample of girls and boys aged between 6 and 16 years with a medical diagnosis of asthma. Maximum airway nitric oxide flux and alveolar nitric oxide concentration were calculated according to the two-compartment model. In asthmatic patients, the asthma control questionnaire (CAN) was completed and forced spirometry was performed. In controls, differences between the sexes in alveolar nitric oxide concentration and maximum airway nitric oxide flux and their correlation with height were studied. The correlation among the fraction of exhaled NO at 50 ml/s (FENO50), CANO, JawNO, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the CAN questionnaire was measured and the degree of agreement regarding asthma control assessment was studied using Cohen's kappa. RESULTS: We studied 162 children; 49 healthy (group 1), 23 asthmatic participants without treatment (group 2) and 80 asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids (group 3). CANO (ppb) was 2.2 (0.1-4.5), 3 (0.2-9.2) and 2.45 (0.1-24), respectively. JawNO (pl/s) was 516 (98.3-1470), 2356.67 (120-6110) and 1426 (156-11805), respectively. There was a strong association (r=0.97) between FENO50 and JawNO and the degree of agreement was very good in group 2 and was good in group 3. There was no agreement or only slight agreement between the measures used to monitor asthma control (FEV1, CAN questionnaire, CANO and JawNO). CONCLUSIONS: The results for CANO and JawNO in controls were similar to those found in other reports. There was no agreement or only slight agreement among the three measure instruments analyzed to assess asthma control. In our sample, no additional information was provided by CANO and JawNO.

Young infants with recurrent wheezing and positive asthma predictive index have higher levels of exhaled nitric oxide.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this post hoc analysis was to establish the relationship between FE(NO) levels and the asthma predictive index (API) among infants with recurrent wheezing. METHODS: Infants with recurrent wheezing (three or more episodes) were recruited consecutively and online FE(NO) tests at tidal breathing with multiple breaths were performed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (84%) out of 32 infants (median age of 12 months) who met the inclusion criteria for this post hoc analysis, successfully performed the FE(NO) determinations. Eighteen (66%) infants were classified with positive stringent API. FE(NO) levels were significantly higher among patients with positive API than those with negative (median [IQR] of 12.3 [14.8] ppb vs. 4.1 [7.9] ppb, respectively, p = .016). Furthermore, FE(NO) and positive API had a significant correlation (Spearman's rho, ρ = 0.4741, p = .0125). After logistic regression analysis including FE(NO) levels, gender, age, and use of controller therapy, FE(NO) was the only variable that was marginally related to API (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.99-1.27, p = .07). CONCLUSION: Infants with recurrent wheezing who had a positive stringent API already had higher FE(NO) levels than those with a negative API. This finding needs to be corroborated in a larger prospective study.

2009 H1N1: risk factors for hospitalization in a matched case-control study.

In order to compare sociodemographical data and preexisting risk medical conditions in patients requiring hospital admission for 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and those managed on an outpatient basis, a prospective observational, matched case-control study in 36 hospitals of the Spanish National Health Service was conducted from July 2009 to February 2010. Cases were patients aged 6 months to 18 years hospitalized for influenza syndrome, in whom 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection was confirmed using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Controls were patients aged 6 months to 18 years with confirmed 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection managed on an outpatient basis. There were 195 cases and 184 controls. In a multivariate model, hospitalization was more frequent in children aged <2 years (odds ratio (OR), 13.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7-106.4), those with neurological and/or neuromuscular diseases (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-8.2), and those whose parents had less than a secondary educational level (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.4-5.2). Children aged <2 years, children with neurological diseases, and children from families with a lower educational status had a higher risk of hospitalization due to influenza A (H1N1) 2009 infection.

Concordancia en niños entre las resistencias de la vía aérea medidas mediante pletismografía con y sin cierre del oclusor / Differences in Airway Resistances in Children Measured by Plethysmography With and Without Closure of the Occluder

AntecedentesDiversos investigadores han estudiado las resistencias de la vía aérea mediante pletismografía sin cierre del oclusor.ObjetivoComprobar la concordancia entre las resistencias totales (sRawTOT) y las resistencias específicas (sRaw) con la misma técnica (pletismografía) y diferente metodología (con y sin cierre del oclusor) en niños colaboradores.Material y MétodosEstudio observacional y transversal de una muestra consecutiva de niños entre 6 y 14 años que acudieron a consultas de Neumología Infantil, desde el 15 de enero hasta el 15 de febrero de 2009. Determinación de sRawTOT, sRaw y conductancia específica (sGaw) mediante pletismografía (MasterLab V5.1, Viasys®, Wuerzburg, Alemania) sin cierre del oclusor. En todos se realizaron a continuación las mismas determinaciones con cierre del oclusor. Variables cualitativas: sexo, diagnóstico y tratamiento, y variables cuantitativas: edad, peso, talla, sRawTOT, sRaw, sGaw y FRcon y sin cierre del oclusor. Análisis de la asociación y concordancia entre sRawTOT, sRaw y sGaw con y sin cierre del oclusor mediante t de Student pareada, método Bland-Altman y diagrama de puntos (Scatter plot).ResultadosSe incluyeron 36 casos. El 100% realizó las pruebas con éxito. Edad media: 9,91±2,37 años. No hubo diferencias entre sRawTOT, sRaw ni sGaw con y sin cierre del oclusor. Tampoco hubo diferencias entre la regresión de las medias obtenidas de sRawTOT, sRaw y sGaw con y sin cierre del oclusor, respecto a la diferencia de las mismas.ConclusionesExiste una buena concordancia entre sRawTOT y sRaw obtenidas por pletismografía con y sin cierre del oclusor(AU)

BackgroundThere have been several studies that have measured airway resistances using plethysmography without closing the occluderObjectiveTo investigate the differences between the total resistances (sRawTOT) and the specific resistances (sRaw) with the same technique (plethysmography) but different methodology (with and without closure of the occluder) in child subjects.Material and MethodsAn observational and cross-sectional study of a consecutive sample of children between 6 and 14 years old who were seen at the Childhood Pneumology clinics from 15th January to 15th February 2009. Determination of sRawTOT, sRaw and specific conductance (sGaw) using plethysmography (MasterLab V5.1, Viasys®, Wuerzburg, Germany) without closing the occluder. The same determinations were then performed with the occluder closed. The qualitative variables were: sex, diagnosis and treatment, and the quantitative variables: age, weight, height, sRawTOT, sRaw, sGaw and respiratory rate with and without closing the occluder. The results were analysed for association and concordance between sRawTOT, sRaw and sGaw with and without closure of the occluder using paired Student t test, Bland-Altman method and a scatter plot.ResultsThirty-six cases were included and all (100%) the tests were performed successfully. The mean age was 9.91±2.37 years. There were no differences between sRawTOT, sRaw or sGaw with and without closure of the occluder. Neither were there any differences between the regression of the means obtained for sRawTOT, sRaw and sGaw with and without closure of the occluder.ConclusionsThere is good agreement between the sRawTOT y sRaw obtained by plethysmography with and without closure of the occluder(AU)

[Differences in airway resistances in children measured by plethysmography with and without closure of the occluder]. / Concordancia en niños entre las resistencias de la vía aérea medidas mediante pletismografía con y sin cierre del oclusor.

BACKGROUND: There have been several studies that have measured airway resistances using plethysmography without closing the occluder. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differences between the total resistances (sRaw(TOT)) and the specific resistances (sRaw) with the same technique (plethysmography) but different methodology (with and without closure of the occluder) in child subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational and cross-sectional study of a consecutive sample of children between 6 and 14 years old who were seen at the Childhood Pneumology clinics from 15th January to 15th February 2009. Determination of sRaw(TOT), sRaw and specific conductance (sGaw) using plethysmography (MasterLab V5.1, Viasys, Wuerzburg, Germany) without closing the occluder. The same determinations were then performed with the occluder closed. The qualitative variables were: sex, diagnosis and treatment, and the quantitative variables: age, weight, height, sRaw(TOT), sRaw, sGaw and respiratory rate with and without closing the occluder. The results were analysed for association and concordance between sRaw(TOT), sRaw and sGaw with and without closure of the occluder using paired Student t test, Bland-Altman method and a scatter plot. RESULTS: Thirty-six cases were included and all (100%) the tests were performed successfully. The mean age was 9.91+/-2.37 years. There were no differences between sRawTOT, sRaw or sGaw with and without closure of the occluder. Neither were there any differences between the regression of the means obtained for sRaw(TOT), sRaw and sGaw with and without closure of the occluder. CONCLUSIONS: There is good agreement between the sRaw(TOT) y sRaw obtained by plethysmography with and without closure of the occluder.