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Pulmonary functions in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease
Author(s) -
Al Biltagi Mohammed,
Bediwy Adel Salah,
Toema Osama,
AlAsy Hassan M.,
Saeed Nermin Kamal
Publication year - 2020
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.24871
Subject(s) - medicine , dlco , spirometry , pulmonary function testing , acute chest syndrome , vital capacity , sputum , lung volumes , diffusing capacity , cardiology , lung , asthma , disease , sickle cell anemia , lung function , pathology , tuberculosis
Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is relatively common in Bahrain, and airway inflammation in patients with SCD is usually multifactorial. This study aimed to evaluate lung function and induced sputum levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) in Bahraini children and adolescents with SCD and assess their relationship with the recurrence of acute chest syndrome (ACS). Methods A total of 139 children and adolescents with SCD and 123 healthy children (control group) were included in the present study. Patients were further stratified according to age and history of ACS. The patient and control groups underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs), including spirometry and assessments of lung volume, diffusion of carbon monoxide (DLCO), and induced sputum IL‐6 levels. Results Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ), force vital capacity (FVC), FEV 1 /FVC, total lung capacity, DLCO, and DLCOc (ie, hemoglobin‐corrected DLCO) were significantly lower, while residual volume and sputum IL‐6 levels were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group. PFT parameters were more compromised in the patient subgroup with a history of ACS and older than 12 years compared with the subgroup without a history of ACS and the subgroup under 12 years of age. PFTs revealed significant negative correlations with age, number of ACS events, and sputum IL‐6 levels. Conclusion Pulmonary function was observed to worsen with disease progression, and it worsened with older age and repeated occurrence of ACS. Induced sputum IL‐6 levels reflected the degree of lung inflammation in affected patients and were associated with more impairment in various PFT parameters.