Measurement of Respiratory Admittance for Pediatric Asthma Diagnosis

Measurements of Change of Respiratory Admittance Induced by Salbutamol for Pediatric Asthma Diagnosis

The purpose is to characterize the change of respiratory admittance induced by salbutamol inhalation in children and young adults. A variation threshold will be fixed to distinguish asthmatic and healthy subjects.

This project could allow a better identification of asthmatic individuals needing a treatment, a reduction of morbidity of asthma, a reduction of unnecessary treatments administered in individuals with respiratory but not asthmatic symptoms, a better comprehension of bronchial hyperreactivity and its role in asthmatic disease.

Inclusion Criteria:

Asthmatic children group:

• Several episodes of paroxysmal wheezes, spontaneous or after exercise, without bronchial-pulmonary infection
• Absence of bronchodilator taking during last 12 hours
• Absence of reported intolerance to adrenergic substances
• Parental authorization and consent of child to participate to the study

Control children group:

- Parental authorization and consent of child to participate to the study

Control adult group:

- Consent to participate to the study

Exclusion Criteria:

Control children and adult groups:

• At least 2 episodes of wheezes during breathing
• Several wheezes, abnormal breathlessness, cough during physical exercise
• Asthma diagnosed by family doctor
• Administration of drugs to treat asthma
• Eczema or food allergy at inclusion
• Episode of cough for longer than 6 weeks, without bronchial infection
• Bronchitis, throat infection, rhino-pharyngitis during last 15 days
• Paleness or cyanosis with loss of consciousness when the child was a baby or during an exercise