Sensitivity and specificity of self-reported symptoms for exercise-induced bronchospasm diagnosis in children

Exercise-induced bronchospasm [EIB] is a common condition in elite athletes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of self-reported EIB symptoms in children. In a cross sectional study in 2005, all soccer player boys of 3 football schools of Shahr Rey a town in the south of Tehran, enrolled in this study. All subjects were asked for the presence of four cardinal symptoms of EIB [cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, chest pain/discomfort] during and after exercise. Self reported symptom-based EIB was defined as having at least two out of four symptoms. Findings were compared to spirometric criteria as a gold standard test. A total of 371 boys were enrolled in this study. The mean age of children was 11.67 +/- 1.53 years [range 7-16 years]. According to spirometric findings, 74 [19.9%] subjects had EIB. The sensitivity and specificity of self-reported symptoms for EIB diagnosis were 13.0% and 89.9%, respectively. Self-reported symptoms of EIB in children can be useful for epidemiological study. Our results in Iran are comparable with studies in other countries and point to a relatively high prevalence of EIB among athlete children

Retinopathy of prematurity among 1000-2000 gram birth weight newborn infants

The goal of this study was to identify the risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity [ROP] in neonatal intensive care unit in preterm infants born with birth weight 1000-2000g or at gestational age less than 34 weeks. From August 2000 to December 2001, 50 preterm newborn infants with birth weights less than 2000 g or gestational age less than 34 weeks admitted to the NICU were studied. Newborn infants with birth weight between 1200-2000g who received more than 6 hours oxygen and newborn infants with birth weight 1000-1200 g regardless of oxygen therapy, who survived until 4 weeks postnatal, were enrolled and followed. Patients underwent indirect ophthalmologic examination by two ophthalmologists between 4-8 weeks post partum. The newborn infants who had ROP were assigned to case group and those without ROP to control group, both groups were reexamined every 2-4 weeks or according to international classification of retinopathy of prematurity [ICROP] advice Fifty newborn infants, 36 [72%] in control group, 14 [28%] in case group, were studied. Gestational age and birth weight of the patients with ROP were significantly lower than those of control group. Duration of oxygen therapy, hyperoxia, acidosis, hypercarbia, hypocarbia and phototherapy are suggested as risk factors contributing to ROP. The results of this study demonstrate that the ROP frequency remains elevated among premature and very low birth weight infants. Infants at risk for ROP should have screening eye examinations and proper treatment

prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm in soccer player children, ages 7 to 16 years

This study represents an attempt to determine the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm among soccer player children. A total of 234 soccer player boys of all soccer schools from Shahr-Rey enrolled in this study. They did not have any history of a recent or chronic respiratory tract disease, a history of allergic diseases, and history of bronchodilator drugs consumption during the 24 hours prior to the study. Pulmonary function test [PFT] was performed for each participant before exercise and 6 and 15 minutes after playing soccer. The diagnosis of EIB was by a decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] by at least 10% and in peak expiratory flow rate [PEFR] by at least 15% with exercise challenge. If there was reduction in one parameter alone, the participants were considered as prone to EIB. Considering both FEV1 and PEFR the prevalence of EIB was 2.1% and 18.4% were prone to EIB. If FEV1 or PEFR tests were used as criteria for diagnosis of airway obstruction, the prevalence of EIB would be 6% and 15.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the post of players, family history of allergic disease and EIB in soccer players. This study suggests that at least 2.1% of soccer players will develop bronchospasm even if they do not have any history of asthma and allergy