An assessment on the use of chest imaging in children admitted with viral induced wheeze

Abstract

Viral induced wheeze in preschool children (children less than 5 years of age) is a common condition encountered by general practitioners and paediatricians worldwide. Martinez et al, in 2005 showed that approximately 25-30% of infants and young children would have at least two episodes of wheezing in early childhood. Approximately 40% will have had an episode of wheeze by the age of 3 years and almost half of them will have had at least one episode of wheezing by the age of six.1 Bisgaard et al in 2006 showed in a cohort study that nearly 33% of children between the ages of 1 and 5 years suffer from wheezing associated with upper respiratory tract infections. Fortunately, the majority tend to have only transient symptoms which resolve by five to six years of age. The small anatomy of the bronchi in infants results in higher peripheral airway resistance. Subsequently, respiratory illness will have proportionately greater impact on total airway resistance. In addition, infants have less elastic tissue recoil and fewer collateral airways, making them susceptible to obstruction and atelectasis. The rib cage, trachea, and bronchi are also more compliant in infants and young children. These factors make infants and young children particularly susceptible to wheezing and respiratory distress.