Improving diagnosis of chronic lung, ear and sinus infections in young children

Medical Xpress / University of Southampton / European Respiratory Journal ^ | Feb. 27, 2023 | Nicole Beydon et al

[ConservativeMind]

Researchers have recommended a method to help diagnose preschool age children with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD).

PCD is a rare, inherited condition that leads to chronic lung, ear and sinus infections. Children with PCD have a problem with mucus build-up, which leads to inflammation in the airways and infections in the lungs, nose, sinuses and ears. Most people with PCD have symptoms from birth or early childhood. But some children with PCD may not be diagnosed until much later.

Currently, a commonly used diagnostic test for PCD is measuring the nitric oxide (nNO) in the nose using a chemiluminescent analyzer. This involves holding a sampling tube at the nostril, while the patient either holds their breath, or breathes out through their mouth against a resistance. However, controlled breathing in these ways aren't possible for young children. Furthermore, chemiluminescence analyzers are extremely expensive, not portable, and not available in most countries.

Jane Lucas led an international Task Force to review existing studies and literature to establish whether there were more effective and accessible methods of diagnosis for PCD in younger children.

The task force concluded that although holding the breath or breathing against a resistor while using a chemiluminescence analyzer was more reliable in older children and adults, adequate measurements could be achieved by measuring nasal nitric oxide while a pre-school child breathes normally and should be the standard way when diagnosing PCD in children under the age of five.

The task force also suggested that although chemiluminescence analyzers are more reliable, the relatively inexpensive electrochemical devices have a role in healthcare systems with limited resources. They also recognized that the portability of electrochemical devices may be useful in countries where patients live long distances from a specialist center, enabling the specialist to travel to the patient.

[ConservativeMind]

This needs to be found early, before a bunch of complications occur.

[ConservativeMind]

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[jmacusa]

Keep the masks on the kids though. Safe, effective.

[moovova]

Just give’m the pink medicine.