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Neurodevelopmental outcome at 5 years of age after general anaesthesia or awake-regional anaesthesia in infancy

Slightly less than 1 h of general anaesthesia in early infancy does not alter neurodevelopmental outcome at age 5 years

Prolonged use of wind or brass instruments does not alter lung function in musicians

Respiratory function impacts on musical expression for wind/brass (W/B) musicians. Investigation of musicians' respiratory health to date has rarely...

Normal values of respiratory oscillometry in South African children and adolescents

Noninvasive measurement of respiratory impedance by oscillometry can be used in young children aged from 3 years and those unable to perform forced respiratory manoeuvres. It can discriminate between healthy children and those with respiratory disease. However, its clinical application is limited by the lack of reference data for African paediatric populations. The aim of the present study was to develop reference equations for oscillometry outcomes in South African children and adolescents.

Arsenic and respiratory disease

Arsenic is the only environmental toxin that has been linked to both malignant and nonmalignant respiratory disease following ingestion, rather than inhalation, making arsenic a unique toxicant to the respiratory system. Chronic exposure to arsenic has been associated with the development of respiratory symptoms, impaired lung function, and chronic lung disease.

Increasing airway obstruction through life following bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a meta-analysis

Few studies exist investigating lung function trajectories of those born preterm; however growing evidence suggests some individuals experience increasing airway obstruction throughout life. Here we use the studies identified in a recent systematic review to provide the first meta-analysis investigating the impact of preterm birth on airway obstruction measured by the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio.

Oscillometry and spirometry are not interchangeable when assessing the bronchodilator response in children and young adults born preterm

The European Respiratory Society Oscillometry Taskforce identified that clinical correlates of bronchodilator responses are needed to advance oscillometry in clinical practice. The understanding of bronchodilator-induced oscillometry changes in preterm lung disease is poor. Here we describe a comparison of bronchodilator assessments performed using oscillometry and spirometry in a population born very preterm and explore the relationship between bronchodilator-induced changes in respiratory function and clinical outcomes.

Early life predictors of obstructive sleep apnoea in young adults: Insights from a longitudinal community cohort (Raine study)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases the risk of perioperative adverse events in children. While polysomnography (PSG) remains the reference standard for OSA diagnosis, oximetry is a valuable screening tool. The traditional practice is the manual analysis of desaturation clusters derived from a tabletop device using the McGill oximetry score. However, automated analysis of wearable oximetry data can be an alternative. This study investigated the accuracy of wrist-worn oximetry with automated analysis as a preoperative OSA screening tool.

Lung inflammation and simulated airway resistance in infants with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by small airway disease; but central airways may also be affected. We hypothesized that airway resistance estimated from computational fluid dynamic (CFD) methodology in infants with CF was higher than controls and that early airway inflammation in infants with CF is associated with airway resistance.

Does machine learning have a role in the prediction of asthma in children?

Asthma is the most common chronic lung disease in childhood. There has been a significant worldwide effort to develop tools/methods to identify children's risk for asthma as early as possible for preventative and early management strategies. Unfortunately, most childhood asthma prediction tools using conventional statistical models have modest accuracy, sensitivity, and positive predictive value.

Early surveillance of infants and preschool children with cystic fibrosis

Sensitive and non-invasive surveillance tools are needed for the clinical management of infants and preschool children with cystic fibrosis (CF). The lung clearance index from the multiple breath washout and functional and morphological outcomes from magnetic resonance imaging provide promising alternatives to current gold standard techniques. Early detection and treatment of lung disease during this important period offers the opportunity to improve the quality of life for individuals with CF.