Stress and airway resistance in children with asthma.
OBJECTIVE
The present study implements an experimental paradigm to examine airway reactivity to stress in children with asthma and controls.


METHODS
114 children with asthma and 30 controls (ages 9-15) participated. The protocol involved 5 min of baseline physiological measurements followed by a 5-min stressful task. Skin conductance (EDG), skin temperature, and heart rate were measured continuously. Airway resistance was measured at baseline and after the task.


RESULTS
110 children (76% of the sample) were significantly "stressed" as shown by physiological changes. Asthmatics and controls differed on overall airway resistance, F(1, 108)=12.3, P<.001. The entire sample demonstrated a trend toward increased airway resistance in response to stress, F(1,108)=3.1, P<. 08. A portion of asthmatics (22%) had increases of greater than 20% of baseline airway resistance. Changes in airway resistance in response to stress were unrelated to asthma severity, F(2,78)=2.0, ns.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with asthma and controls demonstrate variation in airway function in response to stress, although increases are likely more meaningful for children with asthma. Further research is needed to examine the mechanisms underlying this response.
McQuaid
E L
EL
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Fritz
G K
GK
Nassau
J H
JH
Lilly
M K
MK
Mansell
A
A
Klein
R B
RB
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D000403:Airway Resistance; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*