Can assessment of small airway dysfunction support the diagnosis or management of asthma exacerbations in children? A systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Asthma exacerbations are acute episodes associated with worsening symptoms and lung function decline. In children, diagnosis and monitoring rely largely on clinical judgment and measures of large airway function, which may overlook peripheral airway involvement. Tests of small airway function, such as forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity (FEF25-75) and impulse oscillometry (IOS), may offer additional physiological insights. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the evidence supporting the use of small airway tests during pediatric asthma exacerbations.

Main body

The protocol was registered on PROSPERO, and this systematic review followed established methodology. Electronic databases searched included MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid)

SUBMITTER: Alshehri A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12801492 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature