Peptides as surface coatings of nanoparticles that penetrate human cystic fibrosis sputum and uniformly distribute in vivo following pulmonary delivery.

Therapeutic delivery of drug and gene delivery systems have to traverse multiple biological barriers to achieve efficacy. Mucosal administration, such as pulmonary delivery in cystic fibrosis (CF) disease, remains a significant challenge due to concentrated viscoelastic mucus, which prevents drugs and particles from penetrating the mucus barrier. To address this problem, we used combinatorial peptide-presenting phage libraries and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify hydrophilic, net-neutral charged peptide coatings that enable penetration through human CF mucus ex vivo with ~600-fold better penetration than control, improve uptake into lung epithelial cells compared to uncoated or PEGylated-nanoparticles, and exhibit enhanced uniform distribution and retention in the mouse lung airways.

Feasibility study of a combined lifestyle behaviors and asthma self-management intervention for school-aged children.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of delivering an intervention that combines healthy lifestyle behaviors related to weight management with asthma self-management, the Living Healthy with Asthma intervention, to children who have asthma.

Methods And Design: Using a mixed design, the feasibility study of the 12-week Living Healthy with Asthma intervention was conducted with a single group of children diagnosed with asthma. Pretest and posttest data were collected on asthma-related (self-management, metered dose inhaler [MDI] skill, asthma severity, quality of life [QOL]), and healthy lifestyle variables (body mass index [BMI], dietary quality).

Hospitalizations Due to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Outside of the Typical Season.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and viral lower respiratory tract infections in children. It is associated with annual winter epidemics across the United States, typically October through April. Our objective is to describe the clinical characteristics of children hospitalized outside the typical RSV season and to compare them with those admitted during the season.

Long-term effect of budesonide on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in children with mild to moderate asthma.

Objective: To determine the safety of long-term (36 months) administration of an inhaled corticosteroid (budesonide) on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in children with mild to moderate asthma.

Methods: This was an ancillary study of the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP). Sixty-three children who had mild to moderate asthma and were enrolled in CAMP underwent evaluation of HPA axis function before and 12 and 36 months after receiving continuous therapy with either an inhaled anti-inflammatory agent (budesonide 400 microg/day or nedocromil 16 mg/day) or placebo.

Inhaled anti-inflammatory pharmacotherapy and subsequent hospitalizations and emergency department visits among patients with asthma in the Texas Medicaid program.

Background: Rates of asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits continue to rise in the United States. The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program recommends the use of controller pharmacotherapy for patients with persistent asthma.

Objective: To investigate the influence of initiating inhaled anti-inflammatory (IAI) pharmacotherapy following an asthma-related hospitalization or ED visit on risk of subsequent morbid events.

Immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in asthmatic children.

Asthma is a disease that demonstrates chronic Th2 lymphocyte-mediated pulmonary inflammation. We hypothesized that cytokines produced by asthmatic lung inflammation bias the immune response to antigens administered systemically toward a Th2 response, as assessed by serum IgE antibody and lymphocyte-secreted IL-4 and IL-5. We also hypothesized that treatment of asthmatic children with local anti-inflammatory agents reduces this cytokine-mediated Th2 influence.

Growth and bone density in children with mild-moderate asthma: a cross-sectional study in children entering the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP).

Objectives: We sought to determine whether mild-moderate persistent asthma sufficient to produce a decrease in baseline lung function is associated with an adverse effect on growth and bone mineral density (BMD) in children.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 1041 children, 5 to 12 years old (32% ethnic/racial minorities and 40% female), enrolled into the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP). Measures of asthma severity included: Spirometry; bronchial hyperresponsiveness; duration of asthma symptoms; and symptom-based assessment of severity.

Comparison of two methods of delivering continuously nebulized albuterol.

Objective: To compare the relative delivery of 2 methods for providing continuously nebulized albuterol (CNA): a small-volume nebulizer plus infusion pump versus a large-volume nebulizer.

Design: An open, randomized comparison of 3 hours of CNA administration using an in vitro lung model with a follow-up particle size assessment of the large-volume nebulizer.

Methods: Six different nebulizers of each type were connected to a lung model via a volume-limited mechanical ventilator and infant ventilator circuitry.