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The effect of inhaled adrenaline on lung function of recurrently wheezy infants less than 18 months old
Author(s) -
Henderson A. J. W.,
Arnott J.,
Young S.,
Warshawski T.,
Landau L. I.,
Lesouëf P. N.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.1950200103
Subject(s) - medicine , wheeze , asymptomatic , anesthesia , functional residual capacity , bronchoconstriction , bronchiolitis , airway obstruction , asthma , airway , pulmonary function testing , respiratory sounds , respiratory system , lung , lung volumes
Inhaled bronchodilators have been shown not to improve lung function in infants with wheeze. This observation has led to the suggestion that airway wall edema may be more important than bronchoconstriction in infants with airway narrowing. Inhaled adrenaline is used to relieve upper airway edema in children with croup and has been demonstrated to improve clinical scores and lower pulmonary resistance in some infants with wheeze associated with bronchiolitis. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of inhaled adrenaline on lung function in a group of infants with recurrent wheeze. Eleven infants aged 10 to 18 months with a history of recurrent wheeze were studied during an asymptomatic interval. Respiratory function was assessed (1) by measuring maximal expiratory flow at functional residual capacity (V̇ max FRC) during a forced partial expiratory maneuver and (2) by measuring conductance of the respiratory system G rs using a single expiratory occlusion technique. Following baseline measurements, the infants received 0.5 mg/kg adrenaline by nebulizer and serial lung function tests were repeated at 5 min intervals. Ten infants had abnormal baseline lung function (median V̇ max FRC 44.2% predicted; median G rs 34% predicted). Using a random effects model, V̇ max FRC and G rs declined significantly at 10 and 5 min after adrenaline, respectively. No significant improvements from baseline were observed in either measurement for up to 30 min following adrenaline delivery. It is concluded that inhaled adrenaline did not relieve airways obstruction in this group of asymptomatic infants with recurrent wheeze. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1995; 20:9–15 . © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.