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Kouis P, Lemonaris M, Xenophontos E, Panayiotou A, Yiallouros PK. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on symptoms control in children with asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohort studies. Pediatr Pulmonol 2023; 58:3213-3226. [PMID: 37606188 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.26646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Reported reductions in emergency department visits and hospitalizations for asthma in previous studies have suggested a beneficial effect of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown measures on asthma morbidity. Nevertheless, studies relying on administrative data may overestimate the true impact of lockdowns due to changes in health-seeking behavior and reduced availability of pediatric asthma services during the pandemic. In this study, we systematically reviewed the literature and identified observational cohort studies that focused on nonadministrative data to assess the true impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on symptom control in children with asthma. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted between January 2020 and August 2022 (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews ID: CRD42022354369). The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns across studies was expressed as a standardized mean difference (SMD) for continuous outcomes and as a summary relative risk (RR) for binary outcomes. RESULTS During the lockdown periods, the pooled asthma symptoms control test score (SMD: 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75, 3.24, I2 : 98.4%) and the proportion of children with well-controlled asthma (RR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.71, I2 : 77.6%) were significantly increased. On the other hand, the pooled proportion of children with poorly controlled asthma (RR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.57, I2 : 0.0%) was significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS During COVID-19 lockdowns, asthma symptoms and breakthrough disease exacerbations were significantly reduced in children with asthma. Further research is warranted on potential interventions aiming to enhance asthma control after the pandemic while taking into consideration their acceptability and potential tradeoffs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis Kouis
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Marios Lemonaris
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Eleana Xenophontos
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Andrie Panayiotou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
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Hamadneh M, Alquran A, Manna R. Impact of the COVID-19 on asthma control among children: A systematic review. J Public Health Res 2023; 12:22799036231197186. [PMID: 37693736 PMCID: PMC10492482 DOI: 10.1177/22799036231197186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In December 2019, the current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in Wuhan, China. Asthmatic patients are thought to be more vulnerable to the more severe form of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to their weakened immune systems and increased risk of respiratory exacerbation when infected with respiratory viruses; however, there is little evidence to support this theory. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown during the pandemic on asthma management outcome measures among children and adolescents. To conduct the search, we used five bibliographic databases. The results were limited to those articles published between December 2019 and February 2022, selecting only articles published in English that included the study population (children aged 0-18 years). All study designs were considered. Independent assessments of the included studies' quality were made and reported. Among the 945 results of the bibliographic search, only 21 articles were found to fit our eligibility criteria We organized the results from the studies according to the effect of the lockdown at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on common outcomes, including the Pediatric Emergency Department Visits, hospitalization rates of pediatric asthmatic patients during the pandemic, asthma control, asthma exacerbations, psychological effects on patients, and caregivers' concerns. The management of pediatric asthma improved more during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown than in previous years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Hamadneh
- Department of Medical Science, Irbid Faculty, Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU), Irbid, Jordan
| | - Alaa Alquran
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU), Assalt, Jordan
| | - Rami Manna
- Jordan Ministry of Health, Ramtha Comprehensive Health Center, Ramtha, Jordan
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El-Sayed ZA, El-Owaidy RH, Harb WN, Shousha GA. COVID-19 in a group of children with asthma: presentation, severity, and outcome. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 11:92-102. [PMID: 36660141 PMCID: PMC9845840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are insufficient data concerning COVID-19 severity among asthmatic children. AIM to evaluate the impact of asthma on COVID-19 severity and outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS We carried out an observational study that comprised 2 matched groups of children with confirmed/probable COVID-19: 30 with and 32 without asthma aged 6-18 years, who were enrolled consecutively from Children's Hospital, Ain Shams University, Egypt. COVID-19 clinical presentations, laboratory and radiological abnormalities, severity and outcome were compared between the 2 groups. Asthma severity and control were assessed based on GINA 2020. RESULTS The asthmatic COVID-19 children were 9 boys and 21 girls, with median age 9 years, IQR: 8-12 years. The non-asthmatic COVID-19 group included 18 males and 14 females with median age 9.5 years, IQR: 7-12.5 years. Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 were comparable among the 2 groups, except for wheezes which were more frequently encountered as a COVID-19 manifestation among the asthmatics (p=0.001). Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-c) was diagnosed in one asthmatic and 3 non-asthmatic patients. The asthmatic group had higher frequency of serum ferritin, LDH and D-dimer elevations compared to the non-asthmatic peers (p values 0.014, 0.001, and 0.015 respectively). Based on CO-RAD classification, 70% of the asthmatic patients had CO-RAD score of 5 versus 6.3 % among the non-asthmatic group with significant differences between the 2 groups in their CO-RAD scores (P=0.002). COVID-19 severity was comparable among the studied groups (P=0.775), as well as COVID-19 outcome and duration of hospital stay (p values 0.999, and 0.655, respectively). CONCLUSION From our limited sample sized study, childhood asthma did not pose a significant impact on COVID-19 severity and outcome. Further longitudinal studies are warranted to validate our conclusion and investigate the relation of COVID-19 severity and outcome to allergen immunotherapy and the use of biologicals for asthma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeineb A El-Sayed
- Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Unit, Children’s Hospital, Ain Shams UniversityCairo, Egypt
| | - Rasha H El-Owaidy
- Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Unit, Children’s Hospital, Ain Shams UniversityCairo, Egypt
| | - Waleed N Harb
- Fever Hospital of Al-Mahalla Al-KubraAl-Gharbya Governate, Egypt
| | - Ghada A Shousha
- Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology Unit, Children’s Hospital, Ain Shams UniversityCairo, Egypt
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Morillo D, Mena-Bucheli S, Ochoa A, Chico ME, Rodas C, Maldonado A, Arteaga K, Alchundia J, Solorzano K, Rodriguez A, Figueiredo C, Ardura-Garcia C, Bachmann M, Perkin MR, Chis Ster I, Cruz A, Romero NC, Cooper P. Prospective study of factors associated with asthma attack recurrence (ATTACK) in children from three Ecuadorian cities during COVID-19: a study protocol. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e056295. [PMID: 35710244 PMCID: PMC9207574 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Asthma is a growing health problem in children in marginalised urban settings in low-income and middle-income countries. Asthma attacks are an important cause of emergency care attendance and long-term morbidity. We designed a prospective study, the Asthma Attacks study, to identify factors associated with recurrence of asthma attacks (or exacerbations) among children and adolescents attending emergency care in three Ecuadorian cities. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Prospective cohort study designed to identify risk factors associated with recurrence of asthma attacks in 450 children and adolescents aged 5-17 years attending emergency care in public hospitals in three Ecuadorian cities (Quito, Cuenca and Portoviejo). The primary outcome will be rate of asthma attack recurrence during up to 12 months of follow-up. Data are being collected at baseline and during follow-up by questionnaire: sociodemographic data, asthma history and management (baseline only); recurrence of asthma symptoms and attacks (monthly); economic costs of asthma to family; Asthma Control Test; Pediatric Asthma Quality of life Questionnaire; and Newcastle Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire (baseline only). In addition, the following are being measured at baseline and during follow-up: lung function and reversibility by spirometry before and after salbutamol; fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO); and presence of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in blood. Recruitment started in 2019 but because of severe disruption to emergency services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, eligibility criteria were modified to include asthmatic children with uncontrolled symptoms and registered with collaborating hospitals. Data will be analysed using logistic regression and survival analyses. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval was obtained from the Hospital General Docente de Calderon (CEISH-HGDC 2019-001) and Ecuadorian Ministry of Public Health (MSP-CGDES-2021-0041-O N° 096-2021). The study results will be disseminated through presentations at conferences and to key stakeholder groups including policy-makers, postgraduate theses, peer-review publications and a study website. Participants gave informed consent to participate in the study before taking part.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Morillo
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Angélica Ochoa
- Department of Biosciences, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Martha E Chico
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Claudia Rodas
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Augusto Maldonado
- School of Medicine, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
- Emergency Department, Hospital General Docente Calderón, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Karen Arteaga
- Emergency Department, Hospital Verdi Cevallos Balda, Portoviejo, Ecuador
| | - Jessica Alchundia
- Pediatric Pneumology, Hospital de Especialidades Portoviejo, Portoviejo, Ecuador
| | - Karla Solorzano
- Pediatric Pneumology, Hospital de Especialidades Portoviejo, Portoviejo, Ecuador
| | | | - Camila Figueiredo
- Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | - Max Bachmann
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Irina Chis Ster
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George's University of London, London, UK
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Alvaro Cruz
- Núcleo de Excelência em Asma, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Natalia Cristina Romero
- School of Medicine, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- GRAAL, Grups de Recerca d'America i Africa Llatines, Cerdanyola del Valles, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philip Cooper
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St. George's University of London, London, UK
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Yang Z, Wang X, Wan XG, Wang ML, Qiu ZH, Chen JL, Shi MH, Zhang SY, Xia YL. Pediatric asthma control during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Pulmonol 2022; 57:20-25. [PMID: 34672436 PMCID: PMC8662014 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.25736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many experts expected that asthma-associated morbidity because of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection would dramatically increase. However, some studies suggested that there was no apparent increasing in asthma-related morbidity in children with asthma, it is even possible children may have improved outcomes. To understand the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and asthma outcomes, we performed this article. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library to find literature from December 2019 to June 2021 related to COVID-19 and children's asthma control, among which results such as abstracts, comments, letters, reviews, and case reports were excluded. The level of asthma control during the COVID-19 pandemic was synthesized and discussed by outcomes of asthma exacerbation, emergency room visit, asthma admission, and childhood asthma control test (c-ACT). RESULTS A total of 22,159 subjects were included in 10 studies. Random effect model was used to account for the data. Compared with the same period before the COVID-19 pandemic, asthma exacerbation reduced (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.14-0.48], Z = 4.32, p < 0.0001), the odds of emergency room visit decreased as well (OR = 0.11, 95% CI = [0.04-0.26], Z = 4.98, p < 0.00001). The outcome of asthma admission showed no significant difference (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = [0.32-2.20], Z = 0.36, p = 0.72). The outcome of c-ACT scores were not analyzed because of the different manifestations used. Overall, c-ACT scores reduced during the pandemic. CONCLUSION Compared to the same period before the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of asthma control has been significantly improved. We need to understand the exact factors leading to these improvements and find methods to sustain it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Yang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xi-Gang Wan
- The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng-Lei Wang
- The Third Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zong-Hua Qiu
- The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Li Chen
- The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Man-Hao Shi
- The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shi-Yi Zhang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Liang Xia
- Department of Internal Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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