Publications by authors named "Susanne Vijverberg"
Background: Underlying immunological mechanisms in children with moderate-to-severe asthma are complex and unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between blood inflammatory parameters and asthma burden in children with moderate-to-severe asthma.
Methods: Blood inflammatory parameters (eosinophil and neutrophil counts and inflammatory mediators using multiplex immunoassay technology) were measured in children (6-17 years) with moderate-to-severe asthma from the SysPharmPediA cohort across four European countries.
Article Synopsis
- - The development of the CompOsite iNdexes For Response in asthMa (CONFiRM) aimed to create patient-centered tools that measure responses to biologics for severe asthma in both adults and children, integrating clinical data and quality of life (QoL) indicators.
- - Experts and patients collaborated to identify significant outcome changes and devised CONFiRM scores, which demonstrated high levels of agreement on key factors, with patients emphasizing the importance of quality of life more than healthcare professionals did.
- - The CONFiRM scores effectively measure treatment response, with strong validity metrics indicating their reliability, and they facilitate a comprehensive assessment of biologics’ effectiveness; further studies are required for prospective validation.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigated fatigue levels in children aged 6 to 17 with severe asthma, finding they experience significantly higher fatigue than their peers, with around 28% classified as "fatigued" and 15.4% as "severely fatigued."
- - Researchers utilized the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale to measure fatigue and explored its relationship with asthma-related quality of life, symptom control, and other clinical factors.
- - The findings highlight the importance of addressing fatigue in severe pediatric asthma as a key factor in treatment and overall patient well-being.
Factors influencing the initiation of biologic therapy in children with severe asthma: Results of the pediatric asthma noninvasive diagnostic approaches (PANDA) study.
Pediatr Pulmonol
November 2024
Article Synopsis
- - The study focuses on factors influencing the decision to start biologics in children with severe asthma, as existing research is limited on this topic despite the availability of treatments.
- - Analysis was conducted on a group of 72 pediatric patients, revealing that higher GINA treatment steps, steroid toxicity, and a frequency of exacerbations were significant predictors for initiating biologic therapy.
- - The findings indicate a clinical need for biologics in children experiencing steroid toxicity, while highlighting other demographic and clinical factors that could influence treatment decisions.
Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a heterogeneous group of rare diffuse diseases affecting the lung parenchyma in children and adults. Childhood interstitial lung diseases (chILD) are often diagnosed at very young age, affect the developing lung, and can have different presentations and prognosis compared to adult forms of these diseases. In addition, chILD in many cases may apparently remit, and have a better response to therapy and better prognosis than adult ILD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExhaled Volatile Organic Compounds for Asthma Control Classification in Children with Moderate to Severe Asthma: Results from the SysPharmPediA Study.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med
November 2024
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.
Respiratory health in children is essential for general wellbeing and healthy development in the short and long term. It is well known that many respiratory diseases in adulthood have their origins in early life, and therefore research on prevention of respiratory diseases and management of children with respiratory diseases will benefit patients during the full life course. Scientific and clinical advances in the field of respiratory health are moving at a fast pace.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCore outcome measurement set for research and clinical practice in post-COVID-19 condition (long COVID) in children and young people: an international Delphi consensus study "PC-COS Children".
Eur Respir J
March 2024
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic substantially impacted different age groups, with children and young people not exempted. Many have experienced enduring health consequences. Presently, there is no consensus on the health outcomes to assess in children and young people with post-COVID-19 condition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pediatric Post-COVID-Condition (PPCC) clinics treat children despite limited scientific substantiation. By exploring real-life management of children diagnosed with PPCC, the International Post-COVID-Condition in Children Collaboration (IP4C) aimed to provide guidance for future PPCC care.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional international, multicenter study on used PPCC definitions; the organization of PPCC care programs and patients characteristics.
Over the past years, eosinophils have become a focus of scientific interest, especially in the context of their recently uncovered functions (e.g. antiviral, anti-inflammatory, regulatory).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Severe asthma in kids and teens poses significant health, financial, and social challenges due to its varied clinical forms and inflammation patterns.
- New treatments, especially monoclonal antibodies (biologics), have been developed but access to these therapies differs by country and is based on limited indicators.
- The review aims to evaluate recent advancements in treating severe pediatric asthma and explore potential biomarkers that can help determine which children will benefit most from these treatments.
Background: Asthma and COPD are among the most common respiratory diseases. To improve the early detection of exacerbations and the clinical course of asthma and COPD new biomarkers are needed. The development of noninvasive metabolomics of exhaled air into a point-of-care tool is an appealing option.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: The negative effects of socioeconomic, environmental and ethnic inequalities on childhood respiratory diseases are known in the development of persistent asthma and can result in adverse outcomes. However, little is known about the effects of these disparities on pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) outcomes in respiratory diseases.
Objective: The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the literature on disparities in socioeconomic, environmental and ethnic determinants and PICU outcomes.
This review has been prepared by the Early Career Members and Chairs of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Assembly 7: Paediatrics. We here summarise the highlights of the advances in paediatric respiratory research presented at the ERS International Congress 2022. The eight scientific groups of this Assembly cover a wide range of research areas, including respiratory physiology and sleep, asthma and allergy, cystic fibrosis (CF), respiratory infection and immunology, neonatology and intensive care, respiratory epidemiology, bronchology, and lung and airway developmental biology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Children with preschool wheezing or school-age asthma have different microbial profiles in their airways, which can affect their condition and treatment outcomes.
- A study of oropharyngeal samples from 241 children identified four distinct clusters based on microbial composition, with significant differences in associated allergies and asthma severity.
- The findings suggest that understanding these microbial clusters could offer new insights into asthma management and lead to innovative treatment strategies.
Article Synopsis
- The study focused on real-life patients with severe asthma starting anti-interleukin-5 (IL5) treatment in Europe, assessing how they differ from those included in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Out of 1231 patients, only about 27% met the eligibility criteria of RCTs, with key differences in smoking history, clinical factors, and medication use noted.
- The findings highlight that many patients who could benefit from anti-IL5 therapies may be overlooked in clinical trials, underscoring the value of studying broader patient populations in real-world settings.
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.
Article Synopsis
- Pharmacogenomic testing aims to reduce adverse drug reactions by tailoring medication based on genetic factors, particularly concerning statin treatments.* -
- This study examined the impact of the c.521T>C genetic variant on statin therapy changes among 1,136 Dutch statin users, analyzing their treatment adjustments over three years.* -
- The research found no significant link between the c.521T>C genotype and changes in statin use, indicating a need for better data collection on adverse reactions to evaluate the genetic influence.*
Article Synopsis
- 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.
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.