Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access

Abstract

Presence and Treatment of Asthma Exacerbation in Infants and Children

Benjamin Volovitz and Moshe Nussinovitch

We sought to determine that asthma exacerbation exists in infants and can be treated effectively with inhaled corticosteroids. The sample included 1500 consecutive children aged <5 years who attended a tertiary pediatric asthma clinic in 2000-2013 because of an asthma exacerbation that failed to be controlled in the community.

Clinical characteristics and response to treatment were compared between the infants and older children (age 1-5 years). Thirty-one percent of the children were infants. There was no difference between infants and older children in rate of asthma in the family, percentage of emergency department visits or hospitalizations, duration of asthma symptoms, and beta-2 agonist and oral corticosteroid use. All patients had a history of prolonged cough and were coughing during their first visit; 45% were also wheezing. During the treatment period, the rate of emergency department visits and hospitalization for asthma exacerbations decreased significantly without use of oral corticosteroids. Most patients (88%), with or without wheezing, had a good response to treatment, with no significant difference between infants and older children. Asthma is present in infants and has the same clinical characteristics as in older children. In both age groups, asthma exacerbations respond equally well to inhaled corticosteroids, regardless of the presence of wheezing.