Asthma trends Causes of wheeze and asthma may differ

The same group reported no increase in the prevalence of airway responsiveness in an adult population over nine years when there had been no change in the challenge protocol. 2 The output of a nebuliser is usually measured by weight loss per activation, but this has been shown significantly to overestimate the output of a variety of jet nebulisers because of concomitant evaporative water loss. 3 Using a fluoride tracer technique, we have shown that this is also true for both types of DeVilbiss hand held nebulisers. Recently, however, Agertoft and Pederson reported significant reductions in annual admissions to hospital and improvements in the forced expiratory volume in one second in over 200 asthmatic children who used inhaled budesonide for three to six years. 2 Secondly, optimal long term control of the disease requires early treatment with inhaled steroids. 3 Forced expiratory volume in one second is significantly higher in children who receive budesonide within two years of the onset of asthma.