Intensive management of children with asthma at the change of seasons

  The combination of nebulized inhalation of high-dose budesonide with conventional therapy during acute asthma attacks can provide more rapid and effective relief of acute symptoms. In the season of high risk of acute asthma attack, high-dose nebulized inhalation budesonide can be used to pre-intervene when the aura signs appear, and after the symptoms are controlled (usually about 1 week), gradually return to the original control dose to adhere to long-term standardized treatment.  Asthma attacks in children are seasonal, with a high incidence in autumn and winter. Studies have shown that children with asthma are most likely to have a relapse or exacerbation in September, the start of the school year, and that acute asthma attacks are twice as likely in September as in August.  There are several reasons for the high incidence of childhood asthma in the fall: large temperature differences between day and night, alternating hot and cold air, and increased exercise are all triggers for childhood asthma attacks in the fall. As children return to school after the start of the school year, the chances of exposure to allergens rise with increased opportunities for outdoor activities, which may increase the risk of asthma attacks. In addition, children’s susceptibility to viral upper respiratory infections (i.e., colds) in the fall and the increased chance of contracting them through close contact after the start of school are also major triggers for childhood asthma.  ICS is currently the most effective anti airway inflammatory drug, which can effectively reduce airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma, control asthma symptoms, improve quality of life, improve lung function, reduce asthma exacerbations and decrease asthma morbidity and mortality, and is the drug of choice for the treatment of childhood asthma.  Both GINA 2015 and the Chinese Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Prevention of Bronchial Asthma in Children clearly state that ICS is the first-line therapeutic drug for long-term asthma control. The combination of high-dose ICS with conventional treatment during acute asthma exacerbation can provide more rapid and effective relief of acute phase symptoms.  The use of ICS in acute asthma attacks in children: Studies have shown that for non-life-threatening acute attacks, high-dose nebulized inhalation of ICS combined with SABA can be used for rapid anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic treatment. In children with moderate-to-severe acute asthma exacerbations who are hospitalized or treated with inhaled rapid-acting β2 agonists and systemic glucocorticoids, the combination of nebulized inhalation of high-dose budesonide suspension can provide more rapid and effective relief of acute symptoms, shorten hospitalization, and reduce systemic glucocorticoid dosage and duration of administration, thereby reducing systemic adverse effects. The acute asthma attack is often preceded by aura signs such as sneezing, runny nose and obvious cough. Preemptive intervention during this window of opportunity can effectively prevent subsequent acute asthma attacks.  There is no uniform recommended optimal dose and duration of treatment, but a regimen of budesonide suspension 1 mg/d twice for 7 d, as used in the MIST study, can be used. After preintervention therapy, long-term standardized ICS maintenance therapy should be continued to achieve good disease control in children with asthma.  In conclusion, parents should not neglect the intensive management of childhood asthma during the change of seasons. Try to avoid dose reduction (or downgrading of therapy) during the high prevalence period of the alternating seasons. Based on the fact that nebulized inhalation requires less active patient cooperation, nebulized inhalation budesonide can be one of the first-line options for the long-term control of asthma in children. Combining nebulized inhalation of high-dose budesonide with conventional therapy during an acute asthma attack can provide more rapid and effective relief of acute symptoms. In the season of high risk of acute asthma attack, high dose inhaled budesonide can be used to pre-intervene when the aura signs appear, and after the symptoms are controlled (usually about 1 week), gradually return to the original control dose and adhere to the long-term standard treatment.