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Innate epithelial and functional differences in airway epithelium of children with acute wheezeEarly childhood wheeze is a major risk factor for asthma. However, not all children who wheeze will develop the disease. The airway epithelium has been shown to be involved in asthma pathogenesis. Despite this, the airway epithelium of children with acute wheeze remains poorly characterized.
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The effect of moderate-to-late preterm birth on lung function over the first 5 years of life in a South African birth cohortPreterm birth is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, particularly due to lung disease. Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have the highest rates of preterm birth. Infants born extremely preterm rarely survive, so the largest burden is amongst moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) infants. The long-term health impact on MLP children in LMIC is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of MLP birth on lung function trajectories from birth to 5 years in the Drakenstein Child Health Study.
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Lung function changes in children exposed to mine fire smoke in infancyChronic, low-intensity air pollution exposure has been consistently associated with reduced lung function throughout childhood. However, there is limited research regarding the implications of acute, high-intensity air pollution exposure. We aimed to determine whether there were any associations between early life exposure to such an episode and lung growth trajectories.
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Identifying barriers and facilitators for the effective diagnosis and provision of primary health care for otitis media from the perspective of carers of Aboriginal childrenTo identify the barriers and facilitators for timely detection and optimal management of otitis media in Aboriginal children in a primary care setting from the perspective of carers of Aboriginal children.
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Phage therapy could be key to conquering persistent bacterial lung infections in childrenPersistent bacterial lung infections in children lead to significant morbidity and mortality due to antibiotic resistance. In this paper, we describe how phage therapy has shown remarkable efficacy in preclinical and clinical studies, demonstrating significant therapeutic benefits through various administration routes.
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Does lung function in preschoolers help to predict asthma in later life?The earliest respiratory function assessments, within or close to the neonatal period, consistently show correlations with lung function and with the development of asthma into adulthood. Measurements of lung function in infancy reflect the in utero period of lung development, and if early enough, show little influence of postnatal environmental exposures.
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Exploring the Complexity of the Human Respiratory Virome through an In Silico Analysis of Shotgun Metagenomic Data Retrieved from Public RepositoriesRespiratory viruses significantly impact global morbidity and mortality, causing more disease in humans than any other infectious agent. Beyond pathogens, various viruses and bacteria colonize the respiratory tract without causing disease, potentially influencing respiratory diseases’ pathogenesis.
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Prematurity-associated lung disease: is it asthma?Shannon Elizabeth Simpson Smith BMedSci (hons), PhD PhD, MSc, BSc Head, Strong Beginnings Research, Co-head Foundations of Lung Disease Program
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The longitudinal microbial and metabolic landscape of infant cystic fibrosis: the gut-lung axisIn cystic fibrosis, gastrointestinal dysfunction and lower airway infection occur early and are independently associated with poorer outcomes in childhood. This study aimed to define the relationship between the microbiota at each niche during the first 2 years of life, its association with growth and airway inflammation, and explanatory features in the metabolome.
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Azithromycin reduces bronchial wall thickening in infants with cystic fibrosisCOMBAT-CF showed that children aged 0-3 years treated with azithromycin did clinically better than placebo but there was no effect on CT-scores. We reanalysed CTs using an automatic bronchus-artery (BA) analysis.