Dharmage, S. C., Perret, J. L., & Custovic, A. (2019). Epidemiology of asthma in children and adults. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 7, 1-15. Web.
This article summarizes the findings from the investigation of the relationship between genetic and environmental determinants in asthma’s high-risk groups. The role environmental exposures play in the development of asthma has not been explored well, even though the environmental factors resulting in the disease have been identified in both children and adults. Childhood asthma reduces maximally attained lung function and impairs airway development. Among adults, asthma accelerates the lungs’ function, which increases the risk of obstructed fixed airflow. Thus, the management of asthma needs to focus on improving both short-term symptoms and long-term health outcomes. This article is valid and reliable because the authors have a rich educational and occupational background in asthma and other respiratory conditions. They have also conducted a detailed review of the literature on asthma among children and adults.
Ferrante, G., & La Grutta, S. (2018). The burden of pediatric asthma. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 6, 1-7. Web.
This research article investigates the burden and prevalence of asthma among children. In many healthcare systems globally, asthma has posed a consistent challenge, and this condition is more prevalent among low- and middle-income regions. This burden has been proven to reduce with the implementation of strategies such as early detection of asthma among children and access to proper health attention. The article outlines the risk factors for asthma, identified environmental exposures as the leading cause of asthma among children, and discusses lifelong outcomes, morbidity, and mortality. This resource is valid and reliable because the authors have conducted comparative studies on asthma’s global trends among children.
King, G. G., Farrow, C. E., & Chapman, D. G. (2019). Dismantling the pathophysiology of asthma using imaging. European Respiratory Review, 28(152), 1-15. Web.
This article analyzes the current evidence concerning the pathophysiology of asthma. However, King et al. (2019) acknowledge the inadequacy of the measurements of this condition’s physiological processes. The research attempts to use imaging to demystify the pathophysiology of asthma. In the past decade, there has been widespread asthma imaging, including ventilation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) (King e al., 2019). Computed tomography (CT) imaging has made it easier to understand asthma, enabling physicians and scientists to see airways. This resource is valid because it provides facts, figures, and data on the various technological imaging successes in diagnosing asthma. It is a reliable source because the authors carried out a detailed literature review to arrive at their conclusions.
Papi, A., Blasi, F., Canonica, G. W., Morandi, L., Richeldi, L., & Rossi, A. (2020). Treatment strategies for asthma: Reshaping the concept of asthma management. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, 16(1). 1-11. Web.
Treatment strategies for asthma have been developed and keep changing over the years. Papi et al. (2020) researched and presented their findings on how to manage asthma. Airway inflammation can be reduced by asthma control medications, for example, inhaled corticosteroids. However, according to Papi et al. (2020), a pharmacological approach was proposed in 2017, and it was based on a controller treatment. In case the controller failed, short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs) were introduced to cause relaxation of the airways’ smooth muscles. Since 2019, the anti-inflammatory approach was suggested and adopted, but there have been challenges of non-adherence (Papi et al., 2019). This resource is valid and reliable because it provides a chronological development of asthma treatment strategies and its authors have an educational and practice background in asthma research and treatment.
Tesse, R., Borrelli, G., Mongelli, G., Mastrorilli, V., & Cardinale, F. (2018). Treating pediatric asthma according to guidelines. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 6, 1-7. Web.
The guidelines for treating asthma among children are specific, and they depend on the risk factors exposing the child to the respiratory condition. Tesse et al. (2018) conducted a study of the clinical guidelines on pediatric asthma diagnosis and treatment. Some of the asthma management documents include National Institute for Health and Care Excellence asthma guideline consultation, the British Thoracic Society, and the Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention. Among children, experts recommend non-pharmacological interventions for the management of asthma (Tesse et al., 2018). These interventions include avoiding food or drug triggers, environmental tobacco smoke, and indoor or outdoor irritants. However, Tesse et al. (2018) suggest that clinicians critically evaluate asthma management options among children based on the recommended best practices. This resource is valid and reliable because the authors make cross-reference with many evidence-based practice experiences and comparative analyses of the universally agreed documents on pediatric asthma management’s clinical guidelines.