[Asthma in infants. Clinical and functional aspects].
BACKGROUND
The incidence of asthma in infancy is rising but its clinical and physiological components remain unclear.


METHODS
A total of 24 infants, aged less than 48 months, in whom the first wheezing episode (WE) appeared before the age of 30 months (mean age: 9 months) underwent clinical examination and pulmonary function tests at least 2 weeks after the last WE.


RESULTS
The mean WE frequency was 1.1 per month and the mean number of admissions for WE was 1.8. 63% of patients showed symptoms between WE and 50% had an allergic profile. There was no evidence of thoracic distension. Bronchial obstruction (BO) occurred in 71% of patients; among these, BO was distal or generalized in 59% and medium or severe in 47%. 12.5% of patients were hypoxemic at testing. BO was less severe in patients treated with theophylline; it was more frequent (87%) in those with symptoms between WE and/or several admissions, and/or admission to the intensive care unit.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides additional evidence that infants presenting with asthma at an early age have severe clinical and physiological profiles.
Sarkozy
F
F
Laboratorie d'Explorations Fonctionnelles Respiratoires, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris.
Boule
M
M
Just
J
J
Neve
V
V
Grimfeld
A
A
Tournier
G
G
Girard
F
F
D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Asthme du nourrisson. Aspects cliniques et fonctionnels.