Reactive airway disease
Encyclopedia
Reactive airway disease is a general term for conditions involving wheezing and allergic reactions.
In time it has evolved to be mistakenly used as a synonym for asthma
. Current usage of the term in the medical community is to describe an asthma-like syndrome
in infants that may later be confirmed to be asthmatics when they become old enough to participate in diagnostic tests such as the bronchial challenge test
.
In pediatrics patients, it is best to avoid use of any other term other than bronchial asthma, although one can call it childhood asthma. The designation such as reactive airway disease, bronchitis, allergic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis, and so on, may lead to delay in the acceptance of a diagnosis of asthma, and thence to under-treatment and mismanagement of the disease, finally resulting in an increase in subsequent morbidity and mortality.
to describe an asthma-like syndrome developing after a single exposure to high levels of an irritating vapor, fume, or smoke. It involves coughing, wheezing, and dyspnea.
It can also manifest in adults with exposure to high levels of chlorine
, ammonia
, acetic acid
or sulphur dioxide, creating symptoms like asthma. The severity of these symptoms can be mild to fatal, and can even create long term airway damage depending on the amount of exposure and the concentration of chlorine. Some experts classify RADS as occupational asthma. Those with exposure to highly irritating substances should receive treatment to mitigate harmful effects.
In time it has evolved to be mistakenly used as a synonym for asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
. Current usage of the term in the medical community is to describe an asthma-like syndrome
Syndrome
In medicine and psychology, a syndrome is the association of several clinically recognizable features, signs , symptoms , phenomena or characteristics that often occur together, so that the presence of one or more features alerts the physician to the possible presence of the others...
in infants that may later be confirmed to be asthmatics when they become old enough to participate in diagnostic tests such as the bronchial challenge test
Bronchial challenge test
A bronchial challenge test is a medical test used to assist in the diagnosis of asthma. The patient breathes in nebulized methacholine or histamine. Thus the test may also be called a methacholine challenge test or histamine challenge test respectively. Both drugs provoke bronchoconstriction, or...
.
In pediatrics patients, it is best to avoid use of any other term other than bronchial asthma, although one can call it childhood asthma. The designation such as reactive airway disease, bronchitis, allergic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis, and so on, may lead to delay in the acceptance of a diagnosis of asthma, and thence to under-treatment and mismanagement of the disease, finally resulting in an increase in subsequent morbidity and mortality.
Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome
Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome or RADS is a term proposed by Stuart M. Brooks M.D. and colleagues in 1985to describe an asthma-like syndrome developing after a single exposure to high levels of an irritating vapor, fume, or smoke. It involves coughing, wheezing, and dyspnea.
It can also manifest in adults with exposure to high levels of chlorine
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
, ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
, acetic acid
Acetic acid
Acetic acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CO2H . It is a colourless liquid that when undiluted is also called glacial acetic acid. Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar , and has a distinctive sour taste and pungent smell...
or sulphur dioxide, creating symptoms like asthma. The severity of these symptoms can be mild to fatal, and can even create long term airway damage depending on the amount of exposure and the concentration of chlorine. Some experts classify RADS as occupational asthma. Those with exposure to highly irritating substances should receive treatment to mitigate harmful effects.