Publications by authors named "R Covar"
Background: A multicenter clinical trial in patients with mild persistent asthma indicated that response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) is limited to those with sputum eosinophilia. However, testing for sputum eosinophilia is impractical in most clinical settings.
Objective: We examined associations between sputum eosinophilia and type 2 inflammatory biomarkers in untreated mild persistent asthma.
Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that the upper airway bacterial microbiota is implicated in asthma inception, severity, and exacerbation. Unlike bacterial microbiota, the role of the upper airway fungal microbiome (mycobiome) in asthma control is poorly understood.
Research Question: What are the upper airway fungal colonization patterns among children with asthma and their relationship with subsequent loss of asthma control and exacerbation of asthma?
Study Design And Methods: The study was coupled with the Step Up Yellow Zone Inhaled Corticosteroids to Prevent Exacerbations (ClinicalTrials.
Background: Onset of wheeze is the endpoint often used in the determination of a positive bronchial challenge test (BCT) in young children who cannot perform spirometry. We sought to assess several clinical endpoints at the time of a positive BCT in young children with recurrent wheeze compared to findings in school-aged children with asthma.
Methods: Positive BCT was defined in: (1) preschool children (n = 22) as either persistent cough, wheeze, fall in oxygen saturation (SpO ) of ≥5%, or ≥50% increase in respiratory rate (RR) from baseline; and (2) school-aged children (n = 22) as the concentration of methacholine (MCh) required to elicit a 20% decline in FEV (PC ).