José Ângelo Rizzo

Prevalência de sibilância e fatores de risco associados em crianças no primeiro ano de vida, residentes no Município de Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil

Verificar a prevalencia de sibilância no primeiro ano de vida em lactentes da cidade do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil e identificar fatores de risco a ela associados. Estudo realizado segundo o protocolo do Estudio Internacional de Sibilancia en Lactantes (EISL) em criancas com idades entre 12 e 15 meses. A amostra foi analisada segundo a presenca ou nao de sibilância. Foram entrevistados 1.071 pais por criancas com idades entre 12 e 15 meses. A prevalencia de sibilância no primeiro ano de vida foi de 43%, sem diferencas quanto aos generos. O relato de sibilância no primeiro ano de vida foi associado a ter tido pneumonia, ter familiares com asma, mais de nove episodios de infeccoes de vias aereas superiores e primeiro episodio de resfriado antes de seis meses de idade (p < 0,001). A prevalencia de sibilância no primeiro ano de vida entre lactentes da cidade do Recife e alta. Inicio precoce e numero elevado de resfriados, ter familiares com asma e ter pneumonia foram fatores associados aos quadros de sibilância nessas criancas.

Inter-relação entre asma, atopia e infecções helmínticas

To describe the principal evidence in the literature regarding the interrelationship among helminth infections, atopy, and asthma, a nonsystematic review of the literature was conducted. Among the publications on the subject, we found a number in which there was controversy regarding the capacity of geohelminth infections to inhibit responsiveness to skin allergy tests and to minimize the symptoms of allergic diseases. However, although small in number, studies of patients infected with Schistosoma spp. suggest that these helminths can inhibit the responsiveness to skin allergy testing and minimize asthma symptoms. Evidence provided by in vitro studies suggests that helminthiases inhibit T helper 1- and T helper 2-type immune responses. This opens new therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of immune system diseases.

Efeito da terminação precoce da expiração nos parâmetros espirométricos em crianças pré-escolares saudáveis

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the acceptability and reproducibility of spirometry in preschool children; to estimate the effect size of early termination of exhalation (ETE) on FVC, FEV(1) and FEV(0.5); and to evaluate the validity of FEV(0.5) in curves with ETE. METHODS Spirometric data were obtained from 240 healthy preschool children, who were selected by simple sampling. On the basis of the best curve from each child according to the end of exhalation, three groups were formed: no ETE (nETE); ETE and flow ≤ 10% of the highest PEF (ETE≤10); and ETE and flow > 10% of the highest PEF value (ETE>10). The reproducibility of FVC, FEV(1) and FEV(0.5) was compared among the three groups. The effect of ETE on FVC, FEV(1), and FEV(0.5) was assessed. RESULTS Of the 240 children tested, 112 (46.5%)-82 (34.0%) of those in the nETE group and 30 (12.5%) of those in the ETE≤10 group--had acceptable curves for all the parameters. In 64 (27.0%) of those in the ETE>10 group, the curves were acceptable only for FEV(0.5), increasing the proportion of children with valid FEV(0.5) to 73.0%. There were no significant differences between the nETE and ETE≤10 groups in terms of the mean values of the parameters assessed. CONCLUSIONS Maneuvers with ETE and flow ≤ 10% of the highest PEF are valid. In individuals with a flow > 10% of the highest PEF value, these maneuvers are only valid for FEV(0.5).

Validation of the Asthma Control Test in pregnant asthmatic women

OBJECTIVE To determine the validity of the Asthma Control Test (ACT) questionnaire for assessing pregnant asthmatic women. METHODS The study involved 40 pregnant asthmatic women over a total of 113 medical visits. On each occasion the participants had a pulmonary function test and a clinical evaluation to assess the level of asthma control. In addition, the ACT was carried out with the obstetrician being blinded to its results. RESULTS The most accurate cut-off point was 16, with a sensitivity of 95.4%, specificity of 68.8%, a negative predictive value of 91.7% and a positive predictive value of 80.5%. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 3.052 and 0.067 respectively. The questionnaire was found to be highly effective for discriminating between controlled and uncontrolled asthma, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.846 (95%CI: 0.748-0.92). Reliability assessed in patients with the same clinical classification resulted in an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.86 (95%CI: 0.75-0.93). Improved clinical conditions corresponded to a significant increase in the ACT score (p < 0.005), indicating good responsiveness to changes in clinical status. CONCLUSIONS The ACT proved to be reliable and could discriminate between levels of asthma control in pregnant women confirming its value as a useful tool for the management of asthma during pregnancy.

Inhaled beclomethasone in pregnant asthmatic women--a systematic review.

The aim of this study was to systematically review the safety and efficacy of inhaled beclomethasone for asthma treatment in pregnant women. We performed a systematic review in Medline, LILACS and SciELO electronic databases in December 2012. A total of 3433 articles were found by using the keywords asthma, pregnancy and beclomethasone. Among these, 1666 were from Medline, via PubMed, and 1767 were from LILACS and SciELO. Nine of these articles were selected. Only one paper suggested an increased foetal risk for congenital malformations, and one other for offspring endocrine and metabolic disturbances. Data are mostly reassuring, supporting the use of glucocorticoid inhalants during pregnancy, and we found no evidence of inferiority in relation to efficacy and safety of beclomethasone compared to other drugs used in pregnant asthmatic women.

Determining respiratory system resistance and reactance by impulse oscillometry in obese individuals

Objective: To evaluate peripheral respiratory system resistance and reactance (Rrs and Xrs, respectively) in obese individuals. Methods: We recruited 99 individuals, dividing them into four groups by body mass index (BMI): < 30.0 kg/m2 (control, n = 31); 30.0-39.9 kg/m2 (obesity, n = 13); 40.0-49.9 kg/m2 (severe obesity, n = 28); and ≥ 50.0 kg/m2 (morbid obesity, n = 13). Using impulse oscillometry, we measured total Rrs, central Rrs, and Xrs. Peripheral Rrs was calculated as the difference between total Rrs and central Rrs. All subjects also underwent spirometry. Results: Of the 99 individuals recruited, 14 were excluded because they failed to perform forced expiratory maneuvers correctly during spirometry. The individuals in the severe obesity and morbid obesity groups showed higher peripheral Rrs and lower Xrs in comparison with those in the two other groups. Conclusions: Having a BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 was associated with a significant increase in peripheral Rrs and with a decrease in Xrs.

Múltiplas doses de vacina BCG podem proteger contra asma

OBJECTIVE To compare BCG vaccination involving a single intradermal dose and that involving multiple doses, one given with the multiple puncture technique, in terms of the protective effect against the subsequent onset of asthma. METHODS A retrospective cohort study involving 2,311 individuals having received the BCG vaccine. The patients were classified according to the number of doses of BCG vaccine administered (one; two; or three or more). The minimum follow-up period in order to determine whether there was any protective effect of BCG vaccination regarding the diagnosis of asthma was 10 years. RESULTS The sample included 1,317 individuals (56.99%) who had received only one BCG dose, 644 (27.87%) who had received two doses, and 350 (15.14%) who had received three or more doses. The number of patients diagnosed with asthma among those who had received one dose, two doses and three or more doses was, respectively, 216 (16.40%), 107 (16.61%) and 50 (14.28%). There were no significant differences among the groups. CONCLUSIONS In the study sample, the prevalence of asthma among individuals having received multiple doses of the BCG vaccine was no different than that observed among those having received a single dose.

Reference values for spirometry in preschool children

OBJECTIVES Reference values for lung function tests differ in samples from different countries, including values for preschoolers. The main objective of this study was to derive reference values in this population. METHODS A prospective study was conducted through a questionnaire applied to 425 preschool children aged 3 to 6 years, from schools and day-care centers in a metropolitan city in Brazil. Children were selected by simple random sampling from the aforementioned schools. Peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volumes (FEV1, FEV0.50), forced expiratory flow (FEF25-75) and FEV1/FVC, FEV0.5/FVC and FEF25-75/FVC ratios were evaluated. RESULTS Of the 425 children enrolled, 321 (75.6%) underwent the tests. Of these, 135 (42.0%) showed acceptable results with full expiratory curves and thus were included in the regression analysis to define the reference values. Height and gender significantly influenced FVC values through linear and logarithmic regression analysis. In males, R(2) increased with the logarithmic model for FVC and FEV1, but the linear model was retained for its simplicity. The lower limits were calculated by measuring the fifth percentile residues. CONCLUSION Full expiratory curves are more difficult to obtain in preschoolers. In addition to height, gender also influences the measures of FVC and FEV1. Reference values were defined for spirometry in preschool children in this population, which are applicable to similar populations.

Exercise-induced bronchospasm in a hot and dry region: study of asthmatic, rhinitistic and asymptomatic adolescents

ABSTRACT Background: Exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) is the bronchial narrowing that occurs after intense exercise in a significant number of asthmatics and in some non-asthmatics. This study aims to evaluate the occurrence of EIB in adolescents with asthma, rhinitis and respiratory asymptomatics in a hot and dry climate. Research design and methods: This is a cross-sectional study based on an epidemiological study that evaluated the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren in a semi-arid zone of Brazil. The EIB was defined as a reduction in forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) greater than 10%. Results: A total of 114 individuals participated in the study (36.8% male), of whom 54 were asymptomatic, 30 asthmatic and 30 with rhinitis. Asthmatics presented a higher proportion of EIB in comparison to rhinitis and asymptomatics (46.7% vs. 13.3% and 7.4%, p = 0.001) and none of the individuals had severe EIB (ΔFEV1 ≥ 50%). Conclusions: A large proportion of the asthmatics selected from the community for the clinical study had EIB. Among participants with rhinitis, EIB was found in slightly more than 10%, while in the asymptomatics the frequency was slightly more than 5%. This study presents an important aspect in individuals living in hot and dry climates.

Risk factors for recurrent wheezing in infants: a case-control study

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between recurrent wheezing and atopy, the Asthma Predictive Index, exposure to risk factors, and total serum IgE levels as potential factors to predict recurrent wheezing. METHODS A case-control study with infants aged 6-24 months treated at a specialized outpatient clinic from November 2011 to March 2013. Evaluations included sensitivity to inhalant and food antigens, positive Asthma Predictive Index, and other risk factors for recurrent wheezing (smoking during pregnancy, presence of indoor smoke, viral infections, and total serum IgE levels). RESULTS We evaluated 113 children: 65 infants with recurrent wheezing (63.0% male) with a mean age of 14.8 (SD = 5.2) months and 48 healthy infants (44.0% male) with a mean age of 15.2 (SD = 5.1) months. In the multiple analysis model, antigen sensitivity (OR = 12.45; 95%CI 1.28–19.11), positive Asthma Predictive Index (OR = 5.57; 95%CI 2.23–7.96), and exposure to environmental smoke (OR = 2.63; 95%CI 1.09–6.30) remained as risk factors for wheezing. Eosinophilia ≥ 4.0% e total IgE ≥ 100 UI/mL were more prevalent in the wheezing group, but failed to remain in the model. Smoking during pregnancy was identified in a small number of mothers, and secondhand smoke at home was higher in the control group. CONCLUSIONS Presence of atopy, positive Asthma Predictive Index and exposure to environmental smoke are associated to recurrent wheezing. Identifying these factors enables the adoption of preventive measures, especially for children susceptible to persistent wheezing and future asthma onset.