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Respiratory oscillometry (or the forced oscillation technique) is a highly practical lung function test that can be applied in a wide range of clinical scenarios in children and adults, including the clinic, intensive care unit, patient home monitoring and emergency departments. Oscillometry measurements complement spirometry in detecting abnormal lung function, measuring effects of treatment such as inhaled corticosteroids or bronchodilators, and changes due to disease activity.
Obesity is a contributing factor to asthma severity; while it has long been understood that obesity is related to greater asthma burden, the mechanisms though which this occurs have not been fully elucidated. One common explanation is that obesity mechanically reduces lung volume through accumulation of adipose tissue external to the thoracic cavity.
The earliest respiratory function assessments, within or close to the neonatal period, consistently show correlations with lung function and with the development of asthma into adulthood. Measurements of lung function in infancy reflect the in utero period of lung development, and if early enough, show little influence of postnatal environmental exposures.
nfants with frequent viral and bacterial respiratory infections exhibit compromised immunity to routine immunizations. They are also more likely to develop chronic respiratory diseases in later childhood. This study investigated the feasibility of epigenetic profiling to reveal endotype-specific molecular pathways with potential for early identification and immuno-modulation.
Shannon Elizabeth Simpson Smith BMedSci (hons), PhD PhD, MSc, BSc Head, Strong Beginnings Research, Co-head Foundations of Lung Disease Program
Ingrid Pat Laing Holt BSc PhD PhD, DSc, FRCPath, FRCPI, FAA Head, Children's Respiratory Science Emeritus Honorary Researcher 6319 1828 Ingrid.laing@
Researchers developing a world-first treatment that targets an underlying cause of asthma have secured a $499,640 grant from the Future Health, Research and Innovation Fund – Innovation Seed Fund.
Children who live in the outer suburbs of Australia’s four biggest cities are twice as likely to have asthma as those living in inner city areas, according to a new study based on health data captured in the last Australian Census.
An ambitious project that could stop children developing asthma is the centrepiece of a new world-class respiratory research centre launched in Perth.
A lung function study carried out by Dr Shannon Simpson provided the most comprehensive follow-up of very pre-term children of any study so far carried out on the lung health of this vulnerable group.