El buen control del asma: ¿previene la remodelación? / Good asthma control: prevent the airway remodeling?

La remodelación de la vía aérea es un proceso continuo de cambio caracterizado principalmente por el engrosamiento de la membrana que sostiene la mucosa respiratoria. Diversas moléculas y agentes han sido descritos como responsables de ello. En el presente artículo se desarrolla el concepto inflamación y su relación con el fenómeno de remodelación en asma, describiendo los grupos de riesgo que existen, el rol de las diversas interleukinas descritas, el rol de la edad de inicio, y finalmente las consecuencias de la introducción precoz de esteroides inhalados en niños. Si bien existen muchos aspectos claros, aún queda mucho por responder.

Alteraciones polisomnográficas en lactantes con reflujo gastroesofágico / Polysomnographic abnormalities in infants with gastroesophageal reflux

BACKGROUND: Infant apnea is a common problem that conveys significant burden to families and physicians. Its temporal relationship with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is controversial. AIM: To establish whether infants with GER of different magnitude have a higher incidence of respiratory events than children without GER. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 146 consecutive patients were evaluated with polisomnography (PSG) and with an esophageal pH probe. Those infants without GER episodes or with an esophageal pH below 4.0 in less than 5 per cent of total sleep time were considered as physiologic GER (Group I), between 5-10 per cent as mild GER (Group II), and over 10 per cent as severe GER (Group III). These groups were evaluated for demographic and polysomnographic characteristics. RESULTS: There were no differences in the demographic and global PSG characteristics neither in oxymetry, heart rate or electroencephalographic abnormalities. Group III infants had a higher percentage of active sleep compared to infants of Group I (p < 0.05) and higher incidence of central pauses and apneas compared to infants of Group I (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of severe GER may modify the sleep pattern in infants, increasing the percentage of active sleep. The presence of central pauses and apneas in infants with severe GER suggest an association between the inmaturity of the respiratory centers and the adaptation of the anti-reflux mechanisms.