The changing face of severe childhood asthma: a comparison of two cohorts of children evaluated at National Jewish Health over the past 20 years.

Novel asthma pharmacotherapy has changed the management of severe childhood asthma. This study determined whether the introduction and use of second-generation inhaled glucocorticoids (GCs), long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs), and combination inhaled GC/LABA (iGC/LABA) products and leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) have impacted children with severe asthma. A retrospective review of children (aged 6-18 years) referred to National Jewish Health for severe asthma between 2003 and 2007 (current cohort) was performed (n = 65); the results were compared with a published cohort from 1993 to 1997 (historic cohort; n = 164).

Clinical manifestations of airway malacia in young children.

A case of recurrent respiratory distress, wheezing, and "noisy" breathing in a 6-month-old infant with a normal birth history and chest radiographic evaluation is presented. The distinction between primary and secondary tracheomalacia is outlined. This report emphasizes the importance of clinical history in the evaluation of primary tracheomalacia.