Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Ta b l e 7 . 1 1
Number of the asthmatic children related to various asthma parameters: ICS: inhaled
corticosteroid; LABA: long acting beta agonist; LRA: leukotriene receptor antagonist; PC: partially
controlled; C: controlled
Medication
ICS: 12
LABA: 15
LRA: 8
Level of asthma control
PC: 6
C: 8
none: 5
Time of diagnose (years)
<
1: 9
<
2: 3
<
5: 7
Allergic asthma
Yes: 17
No: 2
-
tory volume for the 1 second (FEV1) predicted baseline after inhalation). For the
bronchodilatation test, Ventolin 100 (4
Salbutamol 100 mg) was administered.
The patient has to breath in and breath out in a nebulizer 4 times the administered
medication. A time interval of 12 minutes was allowed to pass after the inhalation,
such that the airways have time to respond to the bronchodilatator. Repeated mea-
surements of FOT and spirometry evaluated the patients after the bronchodilatation
test.
As additional information, allergy was determined based on specific positive re-
action to inhaled allergen (house dust mite, birch tree, grass pollen, weed, dog/cat
dander), and further details are given in Table
7.11
.
The third group included children diagnosed with
cystic fibrosis
. This is one of
the most common severe genetic diseases, characterized by the production of abnor-
mal secretions, leading to mucous build-up, and persistent infections and inflamma-
tion in a variety of organs [
15
,
132
]. Inflammation and infection also cause injury
and structural changes to the lungs, leading to a variety of symptoms and eventually
to respiratory failure. Without treatment, CF results in death for 95 % of affected
children before the age of 5, hence early diagnosis is critical.
This study was approved by the local Ethics Committee of the University Hospi-
tal Antwerp (UZA) and informed consent was obtained from all volunteers before
inclusion in the study. The study involved 10 children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis
and their corresponding biometric and spirometric values are given in Table
7.12
.
The measurements were performed during the December 2008-March 2009 time
interval.
The patients were clinically diagnosed and hospitalized at the time of measure-
ment. Diagnosis was based on a sweat test and detection of a minimum of 1 gene
mutation responsible for cystic fibrosis.
×
7.3.5 Healthy vs. Asthma in Children
Using a closed circuit spirometer (JAEGER MasterLab, Germany) measurements
for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1),
the ratio FEV1/FVC and the ratio of forced expiratory flow (FEF) between 25 %
and 75 % of FVC to FVC (FEF/FVC) were obtained for the asthmatic patients in a
sitting position. These parameters were presented as raw data and percentile of the
