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BACKGROUND: Current guidelines on the treatment of childhood asthma recommend the introduction of an anti-inflammatory drug in children who have persistent symptoms and require regular treatment with a bronchodilator. The efficacy and safety of inhaled nedocromil sodium (Tilade Mint aerosol) administered using a Fisonair spacer at a dose of 4 mg three times daily was compared with placebo in the treatment of asthmatic children aged 6-12 years who are symptomatic and recovering from an acute exacerbation of asthma. METHODS: A group comparative, double blind, placebo controlled trial was performed in children who were recovering from an acute episode of asthma following treatment in the emergency department of the hospital or in children referred from their general practitioner following a wheezing episode and documented evidence of at least two previous episodes of wheezing. A two week baseline period on existing bronchodilator treatment was followed by a 12 week treatment period on either nedocromil sodium (2 mg/puff) or placebo. Both treatments were administered using a Fisonair spacer at a dose of two puffs three times daily. Changes from baseline values in daytime asthma and night time asthma symptom scores, usage of rescue bronchodilators, mean peak expiratory flow (PEF) recorded twice daily on diary cards, patients' opinion of treatment, and withdrawals due to treatment failure were measured during the primary treatment period (last six weeks of treatment). RESULTS: One hundred and forty two children aged 6-12 years entered the baseline period. Sixty three were withdrawn due to failure to meet the entry criteria (18) or the criteria for asthma symptom severity (15) or reversibility (9), because they developed uncontrolled asthma (2), because they took disallowed treatment (2), or for other non-trial related reasons (17). Seventy nine patients (46 boys) of mean age 8. 8 years entered the treatment period. There were significant differences in the changes from baseline values during the last six weeks of treatment in favour of nedocromil sodium compared with placebo in the primary variables of daytime asthma and night time asthma, morning and evening PEF, and the usage of rescue inhaled bronchodilators; 53% of patients reported nedocromil sodium to be very or moderately effective compared with 44% placebo. Improvement in asthma symptoms, PEF, and reduction in use of rescue bronchodilators did not reach statistical significance until after six weeks of treatment. Twenty two patients were withdrawn or dropped out during the treatment phase, 12 due to uncontrolled asthma or persistence of asthma symptoms, four due to suspected adverse drug reactions (nedocromil sodium 3 (headaches 2, angio-oedema/urticaria 1), placebo 1(persistent cough)), and six due to non-treatment related reasons. Seventy one adverse events were reported by 27 patients in the nedocromil group and 75 by 30 patients in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma symptoms, use of bronchodilators, and lung function can be improved significantly in children recovering from an acute exacerbation of asthma or wheeze and currently receiving treatment with bronchodilators alone by the addition of inhaled nedocromil sodium at a dose of 4 mg three times daily administered using a Fisonair holding chamber.

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Practitioners prescribing inhaled corticosteroids for children need to be aware of the potential for systemic side effects, particularly in relation to effects on growth, bone metabolism and adrenal function. There is a need for further long-term studies to assess the risk of side effects especially in younger children. Until further data are available, caution is required in transposing current safety data from adults and older children to the very young. Precise safety thresholds cannot be defined at present. The risk-benefit ratio of corticosteroids must be assessed for each patient and reassessed at intervals during continuing therapy. Strategies to decrease the dose and minimise the potential for systemic side effects should be a routine part of asthma management. Concern about potential side effects should not outweigh the need for effective symptomatic control. Children with asthma should not be exposed to the risks of either under treatment or overtreatment of their asthma.

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OBJECTIVE: To provide a concise, balanced summary of the principles of management of asthma in children and adolescents. DATA SOURCES: Current medical literature and the clinical experience considered during the deliberations of the Australian Paediatric Asthma Special Interest Group. KEY ISSUES: There is evidence of both under-treatment and over-treatment of childhood asthma in Australia. The spectrum of asthma severity is very broad, most children with asthma having mild infrequent episodes that do not require regular preventive therapy. The guidelines presented here provide a framework for accurately assessing the pattern and severity of asthma, identifying those children who require preventive therapy and making a rational decision about the appropriate preventive agent and delivery device. CONCLUSIONS: When prescribing preventive therapy, a careful assessment of the relative risks and benefits should be made in the light of the underlying asthma severity. The level of therapy should be reconsidered regularly to ensure control is maintained with minimum dosages, particularly for inhaled corticosteroids. Recommendations are provided to ensure a normal quality of life for children with asthma, with guidelines to minimise adverse effects of therapy.

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A 6-year-old girl presented with Mycoplasma pneumoniae involving the right upper and lower lobes. She made a slow but complete recovery with resolution of the radiological changes. She re-presented 5 years later with a productive cough, recurrent wheezing and physical and radiological signs suggestive of obliterative bronchiolitis. This diagnosis was confirmed by ventilation - perfusion (V/Q) lung scan, and bronchography. The case highlights the value of V/Q scanning in the diagnosis of obliterative bronchiolitis and confirms the previous reports that mycoplasma infections are not always benign.

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A sustained-release theophylline preparation (Theo-Dur Sprinkle) was evaluated in young asthmatic patients aged 1 to 6 years and receiving a daily dose of 23.4 +/- 2.0 mg/kg (mean +/- SD) to determine, on the basis of serial serum concentrations obtained over a 12-hour dosing interval at steady state, the suitability of such a product in patients likely to metabolize the drug very rapidly. Peak theophylline concentrations of 15.1 +/- 4.1 mg/L were achieved 5.5 +/- 1.5 hours after dosing. The mean maximum to minimum concentration difference was 6.9 +/- 2.2 mg/L for the dosing interval studied. Fluctuations in theophylline concentration less than 100% were achieved in nine of the 12 study patients. Use of the "sprinkle-technique" with Theo-Dur Sprinkle appears to be a simple and effective method of maintaining acceptable fluctuations in serum theophylline concentrations in preschool asthmatic children.

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A study was conducted to examine renal function in 10 healthy control subjects and eight patients with cystic fibrosis in stable condition. Sequential bolus injections of 99mTc-DTPA and 125I-OIH were administered to assess glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow, respectively. Blood was subsequently collected for 3 hours, and urine for 24 hours. Renal clearances of both radioisotope markers were virtually identical in patients and controls. Inasmuch as neither glomerular filtration rate nor effective renal plasma flow was enhanced in patients with cystic fibrosis, increased clearance of drugs in these patients is unlikely to be the result of enhanced glomerular filtration or tubular secretion.

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The temporal aspects of theophylline disposition are of interest, as there are predictable time-dependent fluctuations in the pulmonary function of patients with asthma and theophylline serum concentrations may vary throughout a 24-hour period. We studied the extent to which there are significant temporal changes in theophylline kinetics and the relative contribution of distribution, metabolism, and excretion to this phenomenon. Eight healthy men received an intravenous dose (6 mg/kg) of theophylline at 8 AM and 8 PM at 1-week intervals. Serum and urine were analyzed for theophylline and its three major metabolites by HPLC. Distribution volumes and total body and nonrenal clearances showed no differences between morning and evening dosing. The elimination rate was 12% greater after morning dosing. Renal clearance was 24% greater after morning dosing and was accompanied by an increased excretion fraction of unchanged theophylline. Based on total urinary metabolite excretion and the metabolite serum AUCs, there was no evidence of time-dependent variation in theophylline biotransformation. Although theophylline renal clearance is greater after morning dosing, it is only a small fraction of the overall drug elimination and does not change the total body clearance after morning or evening dosing.

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Sustained-release theophylline formulations should be most useful in young children who have rapid clearance and long sleep intervals. Somophyllin-12 is a recently introduced, newly designed, bead-filled capsule. We tested its ability to provide adequate serum concentrations at steady state in 16 children ages 0.9 to 5.1 yr. On a 12 hourly dosing schedule, mean dose was 25.9 mg/kg per day, and mean fluctuation was 138%. Seven children (43.8%) had fluctuations less than 100%, whereas four children (25%) had fluctuations more than 200%. Six patients with excessive fluctuation (greater than 100%) were restudied on an eight hourly dosing schedule. Mean dose was 28.7 mg/kg per day, and fluctuation was 59%. Because of the excessive fluctuation (greater than 100%) experienced by half these young children, therapy with this product should be initiated with an eight hourly dosing schedule. However, when dose and dosing interval are subsequently individualized, many young children can be switched to twice daily dosing with its improved compliance and convenience.

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Because of reports of lowered antibiotic serum concentrations in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), a bioavailability and pharmacokinetic study of cloxacillin was conducted in 12 control and 16 patients with CF after intravenously and orally administered doses of cloxacillin 25 mg/kg. The patients had mild to moderate CF and were in stable condition. Significantly lower serum concentrations in CF were a result of a 78% increase in total body clearance (P less than 0.005) and a 38% increase in the apparent volume of distribution (P less than 0.025). The bioavailability in CF (0.50) was not significantly different than in controls (0.38), but more variability was seen in the group with CF. After the intravenously given dose the fraction of cloxacillin excreted in the urine unchanged was similar in controls (0.644) and patients with CF (0.547). Compared with that in the control subjects, the mean renal clearance in patients with CF was 30% greater (P less than 0.10) and the nonrenal clearance was 144% greater (P less than 0.07). Enhanced nonrenal clearance explains most of the demonstrated difference between serum concentrations in controls and patients with CF after identical weight-adjusted doses. The data suggest enhanced cloxacillin biotransformation in CF.

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Ceftazidime disposition after an intravenous dose of 50 mg/kg infused over 20 min was followed in 10 subjects with cystic fibrosis (CF) hospitalized with acute pulmonary exacerbations and in 10 healthy subjects. Serum ceftazidime elimination t 1/2 decreased from 105.3 +/- 12.4 min (mean +/- SD) in controls to 90.0 +/- 11.1 min in subjects with CF. Calculated distribution volumes were both larger in subjects with CF. When normalized for body surface area, total body clearance (Cl) was 41.9% greater in the CF group (142.4 +/- 16.9 and 100.5 +/- 10.3 ml/min/1.73 m2). Normalization for body weight revealed 64.8% greater Cl in subjects with CF. Fraction of dose recovered in urine was of the same order for each group, while renal clearance (ClR) was 40.9% greater in the subjects with CF (130.1 +/- 11.4 and 92.7 +/- 11.6 ml/min/1.73 m2). Five subjects with CF were restudied while infection-free 119 to 219 days after the original study day. With the exception of a 10% increase in the volume of distribution at steady state while infection-free, kinetic parameters were much the same. No changes in Cl or ClR were evident from one study day to the next. Acute pulmonary infection does not appear to alter ceftazidime clearance in CF. The mechanism underlying increased ceftazidime Cl and ClR in CF is not apparent from the present data.

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