Pediatric asthma control during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

Background The lockdown imposed by the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in a completely different style of life with possible effects on the attitude toward their disease in patients with chronic lung disease, such as asthma. The aim of our study was to investigate in asthmatic children the level of asthma control and the maintenance therapy used during the lockdown. Methods Among asthmatic children attending our clinic, we identified those who had been prescribed the same therapy in March‐April 2019 and March‐April 2020. The level of asthma control (GINA‐score) and the maintenance therapy used during the lockdown (March‐April 2020) were compared with those of March‐April 2019. We separately analyzed a small group of children with severe asthma treated with Omalizumab during the lockdown. Results We enrolled 92 asthmatic children (67 males). Compared to 2019, in 2020 a higher proportion of children modified their maintenance therapy (38% vs. 15.2%, p < .001), with a significant increase in both the proportion of children who increased ( p = .033) and in that of children who decreased their therapy ( p = .026). The level of control resulted as significantly higher in 2020 (March p = .023; April p = .007). Also, the 13 children treated with Omalizumab showed a good level of control in 2020. Conclusions In asthmatic children, the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown had a significant impact on their asthma control and on their attitude toward maintenance therapy.

Systemic antibiotics and asthma medicines dispensed to 0−12 year olds significantly decreased during the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020

“… 12 The children who increased their use of asthma medicines in March 2020 had poorer asthma control than in March 2019. 12 Also, during the first wave of the pandemic, it was thought that people with moderate‐to‐severe asthma might face a higher risk of severe COVID‐19 disease, 28 and this may have increased the use of asthma medicines. Thus, the increase in the first quarter in our study may have been due to worse asthma control and the fear of severe COVID‐19 disease in early 2020.…”

“… 11 In addition, asthma control appeared to improve in about 20%–30% of children during spring 2020, based on an Italian study and a global survey of practitioners. 12 , 13 …”

Patients with Asthma May Develop Cardiovascular Diseases during Covid-19 Lockdown Due to Physical Inactivity

“…In recent study that analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in asthmatic children, the lockdown had an impact on children's approach to their upkeep therapy compared to the previous year, in fact, a bigger proportion of children took a daily therapy higher than prescribed. As far as asthma control is concerned, they found that the level of asthma control was meaningfully improved during the lockdown compared to the same period of the previous year, [24] because of the reduced exposure to typical asthma triggers due to confinement even though their level of physical activity was not ascertained.…”

Acute events in children with sickle cell disease in Italy during the COVID‐19 pandemic: useful lessons learned

“…In Italy, in general, children experienced reduced access to the ER during the pandemic with short‐term worsening of underlying chronic conditions, delayed diagnosis, or increased severity of clinical manifestations upon admission 11–13 . This does not appear to be the case for children with SCD.…”

“…In Italy, in general, children experienced reduced access to the ER during the pandemic with short-term worsening of underlying chronic conditions, delayed diagnosis, or increased severity of clinical manifestations upon admission. [11][12][13] This does not appear to be the case for children with SCD. Reduced access to ER services for the typical acute manifestations of SCD was not due to a barrier, but to a reduction of the clinical complications themselves.…”