[Sputum induction in children: Technical development].
OBJECTIVE
To compare low and high flow nebulizers performance (total of samples) and its side effects on sputum induction in asthmatic children.


METHODS
Sputum induction was performed by inhalation of a hypertonic saline solution at increasing concentrations (3%, 4% and 5%) using low flow (OMRON NE-U07; flow rate 1ml/min), or high flow (OMRON NE-U12; flow rate 3ml/min, and DeVilbiss Ultraneb 3000; flow rate 2.5ml/min) ultrasonic nebulizers.


RESULTS
We performed 49 inductions in 49 patients from 7 to 15 years old (in 15 children we used a low flow nebulizer (Omron NE-U07) and in 34 children a high flow nebulizer (OMRON NEU12, 6 patients, and DeVilbiss Ultraneb 3000, 28 patients). We obtained 37 samples of which 36 had less than 20% of squamous cells, and 26 had a viability > or =60%. The test performance was higher with high-flow nebulizers, obtaining 85.3% of samples compared to 53% (p=0.04). A total of 69% of samples obtained with the high flow nebulizer were valid, compared to 62.5% (p=0.7) with the low flow nebulizers. With high flow rate nebulizers the incidence of cough (17.6%, p=0.08) and itchy eyes (0%, p=0.02) decreased with the low flow nebulizer (47% and 20% respectively), but bad taste (82.3%, p <0.001) and salivation (14.7%, p=0.3) increased.


CONCLUSIONS
With high flow rate ultrasonic nebulizers we obtain a higher performance of the technique without an increase in significant side effects.
Vizmanos Lamotte
G
G
Hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell, Escaldes-Engordany, Andorra. 32094gvl@comb.es
Moreno Galdó
A
A
Cruz Carmona
M J
MJ
Muñoz Gall
X
X
Gómez Olles
S
S
de Mir Messa
I
I
Gartner
S
S
Martín de Vicente
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D003948:Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013183:Sputum