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Children with wheeze and asthma present with airway epithelial vulnerabilities, such as impaired responses to viral infection. It is postulated that the in utero environment may contribute to the development of airway epithelial vulnerabilities.
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.
The increasing occurrence of hospital-associated infections, particularly bacteremia, caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) carbapenemase-producing colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae highlights a critical requirement to discover new therapeutic alternatives. Bacteriophages having host-specific bacteriolytic effects are promising alternatives for combating these pathogens.
Globally, more than 1.2 billion inhalers are purchased for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) annually. In Australia and New Zealand, pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) are the leading delivery device prescribed and pMDI salbutamol can be purchased over the counter in Australia. These inhalers are a major contributor to healthcare related greenhouse gases.
Belaynew Christopher Peter Hannah Minda Huong Taye Blyth Richmond Moore Sarna Le MD, MPH, PhD MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD MBBS MRCP(UK) FRACP OAM
The airway epithelium is the primary structural and functional airway barrier and orchestrates innate immunity. Some children may have underlying epithelial vulnerabilities that contribute to the pathogenesis of acute wheeze and asthma.
A ground-breaking global clinical trial to improve the lifelong lung health of children born extremely prematurely has been awarded a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) International Clinical Trials Collaborations Grant totalling almost $3 million.
Asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide and is frequently associated with other medical conditions in adults, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischaemic heart disease, and stroke. Despite the huge burden, there has been little progress toward prevention and cure, possibly related to a one-size-fits-all approach.
Early 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.
During exacerbations, when symptom and treatment burden are increased, individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) are likely to prefer airway clearance techniques (ACTs) that require minimal effort. Therefore, in adults with CF who were hospitalised with an exacerbation, we sought to compare the effect of the MetaNeb with usual ACTs on respiratory function and expectorated sputum.