Asthma-Hypoxia Relationship

WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Oct 27 -- Certain children seeking emergency asthma treatment appear to have lower oxygen saturation and a poorer perception of breathlessness than others, UK researchers report in the October issue of the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Dr. I. Male and colleagues at Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital, Brighton, sought to determine whether hypoxia and breathlessness perception were associated in children with acute asthma exacerbation.

The researchers studied 27 children (ages 5 to 16 years) who were hospitalized because of acute asthma. Serial measurements were made of oxygen saturation (SaO2) and lung function (FEV1), and breathlessness perception scores were repeatedly obtained for up to 72 hours after admission.

Twelve of the children were hypoxic at admission, and despite having a significantly greater degree of airway obstruction, this group showed a trend towards lower breathlessness scores. In addition, although demonstrating a similar improvement in FEV1, these children showed a smaller change in breathlessness score from admission to discharge than did those in the non-hypoxic group.

The researchers conclude that "asthmatic children who present to hospital hypoxic tend to perceive themselves as less breathless than non-hypoxic children." This, they add, "may predispose to a future life-threatening attack."

From Mike:
This strengthens my case for healthy breathing habits being taught in our schools from ages 4-12. Our Self-help program