title: Management of reactive airway disease.
abstract: The diagnosis of lower airway obstruction is one of the most frequent causes of admission to pediatric intensive care units. Morbidity and mortality have noticeably increased during the past decade. Although the exact causes of the increased morbidity and mortality are not clear, factors that have been implicated include underdiagnosis, delay in referral to the hospital, and inadequate treatment, particularly excessive reliance on bronchodilators and too little use of systemic steroids. A thorough understanding of the pathophysiology underlying the disease should lead to more effective management and decreased mortality and morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois, Chicago.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jaimovich
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kecskes
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant