Association of lung function, chest radiographs and clinical features in infants with cystic fibrosis.

The optimal strategy for monitoring cystic fibrosis lung disease in infancy remains unclear. Our objective was to describe longitudinal associations between infant pulmonary function tests, chest radiograph scores and other characteristics. Cystic fibrosis patients aged ≤24 months were enrolled in a 10-centre study evaluating infant pulmonary function tests four times over a year.

Assessing the relationship between obesity and asthma in adolescent patients: a review.

The parallel rise in the prevalence of obesity and asthma over the last several decades has led to an extensive line of investigation into the relationship between these two conditions. This review will discuss evidence from laboratory-based studies, observational clinical studies, and clinical trials that suggests that obesity adversely influences asthma through multiple mechanisms. The effect of obesity on asthma during adolescence, including asthma incidence, the severity and control of existing asthma, lung function, and exacerbations, will be reviewed.

Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with asthma severity in children.

Objective: To examine the relationships among obesity, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB, defined as intermittent nocturnal hypoxia and habitual snoring), and asthma severity in children. We hypothesized that obesity and SDB are associated with severe asthma at a 1- year follow-up.

Study Design: Children aged 4-18 years were recruited sequentially from a specialty asthma clinic and underwent physiological, anthropometric, and biochemical assessment at enrollment.

Lung function distinguishes preschool children with CF from healthy controls in a multi-center setting.

Rationale: Conducting clinical trials in cystic fibrosis (CF) preschoolers has been limited by lack of sensitive lung function measures performed across sites.

Objectives: (1) Assess feasibility and short-term reproducibility of spirometry, forced oscillometry (FO), and inductance plethysmography (IP) in a multi-center preschool population; (2) compare ability of each technique to differentiate lung function of CF preschoolers and controls; (3) evaluate longitudinal changes in lung function; (4) estimate sample sizes for future trials.

Methods: A longitudinal, multi-center study of CF preschoolers was conducted utilizing standardized equipment, rigorous site training, and centralized lung function data review.

Multicenter evaluation of infant lung function tests as cystic fibrosis clinical trial endpoints.

Rationale: The conducting of clinical trials in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) has been hindered by lack of sensitive outcome measures.

Objectives: To evaluate safety, feasibility, and ability to detect abnormalities in lung function of serial pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in infants with CF.

Methods: Multicenter observational study using a commercial device, rigorous training, ongoing quality control, and over-reading of data by an independent panel.

Obesity and obesity related co-morbidities in a referral population of children with asthma.

Objective: Although there is mounting evidence that childhood obesity is a risk factor for incident asthma, it remains unclear if there is a distinct "asthma-obesity" phenotype. This study characterized body composition, obesity related co-morbidities, and traditional risk factors for asthma in a cohort of children referred for asthma management in a pulmonary clinic. We hypothesized that children with asthma and obesity would have distinct risk factors and co-morbidities, particularly with respect to metabolic and sleep abnormalities.

Beta 2 adrenergic receptor polymorphisms in cystic fibrosis.

There has been a recent emphasis on identifying modifier genes that influence the severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. The beta-2-adrenergic receptor is expressed on airway smooth muscle, is the target for inhaled beta agonists, and has several common polymorphisms in its gene, ADRB2. Polymorphisms changing glycine to arginine or glutamate to glutamine in codons 16 and 27, respectively, were associated with differences in clinical response to inhaled beta agonists in individuals with asthma.