Publications by authors named "Javier Korta Murua"

Article Synopsis
  • Early identification of poorly controlled asthma in children is crucial for improving treatment methods, and analyzing exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) shows promise for this task.
  • A study evaluated the effectiveness of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to distinguish between controlled and uncontrolled pediatric asthma, using data from multiple research phases.
  • Key findings revealed that specific VOCs, such as acetophenone and ethylbenzene, could differentiate asthma control levels, achieving strong accuracy in predicting outcomes based on the collected data from 196 children.
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The Spanish Guideline on the Management of Asthma, better known by its acronym in Spanish GEMA, has been available for more than 20 years. Twenty-one scientific societies or related groups both from Spain and internationally have participated in the preparation and development of the updated edition of GEMA, which in fact has been currently positioned as the reference guide on asthma in the Spanish language worldwide. Its objective is to prevent and improve the clinical situation of people with asthma by increasing the knowledge of healthcare professionals involved in their care.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recognizing the different phenotypes of pediatric asthma allows for tailored treatment options, focusing on specific underlying mechanisms and biomarkers.
  • Biologic therapies are increasingly significant for treating severe asthma in children, particularly targeting the most common T2 phenotype.
  • This review discusses the action, effectiveness, and potential biomarkers of several biologic drugs—omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab, and 1ezepelumab—highlighting varying prescription guidelines between the FDA and EMA.
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  • The study investigates how genetics influence the upper airway microbiome's role in asthma exacerbations, even with inhaled corticosteroid treatments.
  • Researchers analyzed samples from 257 European asthma patients, focusing on the link between genetic variants and microbiome traits related to asthma exacerbations and responses to treatment.
  • Results indicated that specific genes associated with asthma-related microbiome traits are influenced by various factors, like comorbid conditions and specific transcription factors, with replication of findings in diverse populations.
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Introduction And Objectives: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. Asthma patients may experience potentially life-threatening episodic flare-ups, known as exacerbations, which may significantly contribute to the asthma burden. The Pi*S and Pi*Z variants of the SERPINA1 gene, which usually involve alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, had previously been associated with asthma.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers analyzed blood samples from 121 children with moderate-to-severe asthma to find DNAm markers linked to BDR and FeNO, using regression models to ensure accuracy while controlling for variables like age and sex.
  • * They identified specific DNA markers and differential regions related to FeNO and BDR, with findings indicating associations with allergic reactions and inflammation, potentially opening avenues for better understanding and management of asthma in pediatric patients.
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  • Uncontrolled asthma in children can significantly affect their quality of life, and the study explores the link between the gastrointestinal microbiome and asthma control.
  • Researchers analyzed fecal samples from 143 children with asthma using various methods, including machine learning, to compare the microbiomes of those with controlled versus uncontrolled asthma.
  • Findings revealed specific bacteria, like Haemophilus and Veillonella, that could distinguish between the two groups, suggesting the microbiome could serve as a potential biomarker for improving asthma treatment in children.
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Article Synopsis
  • Uncontrolled pediatric asthma significantly affects children and their caregivers, highlighting the need for deeper understanding of its determinants through the SysPharmPediA study.
  • The study enrolled 145 children (ages 6-17) with moderate to severe asthma from multiple countries and analyzed factors like treatment regimens, medication adherence, and lung function to assess uncontrolled vs. controlled asthma.
  • Results showed children on higher treatment steps had more uncontrolled asthma, and while they had a greater lung function response to salbutamol, medication adherence and inhaler technique did not differ significantly between the two groups—suggesting other factors might contribute to uncontrolled asthma risk.
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Background: The response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in asthma is affected by the interplay of several factors. Among these, the role of the upper-airway microbiome has been scarcely investigated. We aimed to evaluate the association between the salivary, pharyngeal, and nasal microbiome with asthma exacerbations despite receipt of ICS.

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Background: In the USA, genetically admixed populations have the highest asthma prevalence and severe asthma exacerbations rates. This could be explained not only by environmental factors but also by genetic variants that exert ethnic-specific effects. However, no admixture mapping has been performed for severe asthma exacerbations.

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Article Synopsis
  • Asthma exacerbations are a major public health issue linked to increased healthcare costs, productivity losses, and quality of life impacts; this study examines the genetic factors contributing to these exacerbations across different ancestries.
  • A large-scale meta-GWAS involving nearly 12,000 participants from diverse backgrounds identified 126 potential genetic variants associated with asthma exacerbations, with two variants successfully replicated in further analyses.
  • The identified variants are involved in regulating gene expression and DNA methylation, highlighting new potential genetic mechanisms that might influence asthma severity and management.
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Introduction: It remains unclear if prematurity itself can influence post delivery lung development and particularly, the bronchial size.

Aim: To assess lung function during the first two years of life in healthy preterm infants and compare the measurements to those obtained in healthy term infants during the same time period.

Methods: This observational longitudinal study assessed lung function in 74 preterm (30+0 to 35+6 weeks' gestational age) and 76 healthy term control infants who were recruited between 2011 and 2013.

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Article Synopsis
  • The SysPharmPediA study aims to better understand and identify children suffering from uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma to improve treatment options.
  • Conducted across four European countries, the study includes a cohort of 145 children aged 6-17, divided into those with controlled and uncontrolled asthma, where various health data and biological samples are analyzed.
  • By utilizing a comprehensive multi-omics approach, researchers hope to uncover the underlying mechanisms of asthma and identify potential new biomarkers for personalized, noninvasive diagnostics and treatments.
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Asthma exacerbations are a major contributor to the global disease burden, but no significant predictive biomarkers are known. The Genomics and Metagenomics of Asthma Severity (GEMAS) study aims to assess the role of genomics and the microbiome in severe asthma exacerbations. Here, we present the design of GEMAS and the characteristics of patients recruited from March 2018 to March 2020.

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Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a prevalent disease among children and is frequently associated with both diagnostic and therapeutic uncertainties. Consensus has been reached between SEPAR, SENP and SEIP, and their conclusions are as follows.

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Introduction: Pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis (PIG) is a rare infant interstitial lung disease characterized by an increase in the number of interstitial mesenchymal cells, presenting as enhanced cytoplasmic glycogen, and is considered to represent the expression of an underlying lung development disorder.

Methods: This study describes the clinical, radiological, and functional characteristics and long-term outcomes (median 12 years) of nine infants diagnosed with isolated PIG associated with alveolar simplification in the absence of other diseases.

Results: All patients presented with tachypnea.

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Vertically transmitted sepsis due to has a low incidence, and vaginal colonization among pregnant women is exceptional. Necrotizing pneumonia is uncommon in immunocompetent term neonates, and the prognosis is uncertain. At present, systematic screening does not seem warranted in pregnant women.

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Objectives: To determine the degree of compliance with health care quality criteria in the treatment of patients with lower airway obstruction in Spanish pediatric emergency departments (PEDs), to explore the reasons for noncompliance, and to make recommendations for improvement.

Material And Methods: We carried out a retrospective, cross-sectional study of a series of patients under the age of 14 years to determine the degree of compliance with 5 quality indicators. The patients were attended in 22 PEDs on days 1 and 15 of each month in 2013.

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Objective: To analyze the knowledge of asthma and its management in Spanish school teachers using the Newcastle Asthma Questionnaire (NAKQ).

Design: Descriptive, observational prevalence study, using a self-report questionnaire on knowledge about childhood asthma and its management by teachers in pre-school, primary, and secondary schools in nine Spanish cities. Age, sex, academic training, teaching experience, courses in which they taught, and personal and family history of asthma, were collected from each teacher.

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Introduction: Nitric oxide (NO) levels can be measured at proximal (maximum airway NO flux [J'aw(NO)]) and distal (alveolar NO concentration [C(ANO)]) levels. Four inflammatory patterns have been described in asthmatic individuals, although their relevance has not been well established. The objective was to determine J'aw(NO) and C(ANO) in order to establish four inflammatory categories in asthmatics.

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Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of the NewCastle Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire (NAKQ) for determining asthma knowledge in teachers.

Design And Sample: A cross-sectional observational study in educational centers of A Coruña providing preschool, primary school and/or compulsory secondary education. Centers were selected by random sampling, stratified by ownership and educational level (24centers, 864teachers).

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