Return to Vaccination News Home Page __» Right-click to "open in new window"
Subscribe to the Vaccination NewsLetter
View past & current Scandals (columns by Sandy Mintz)
Search This Site using keywords
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/104540988/START
|
Online ISSN: 1099-0496 Print
ISSN: 8755-6863 Copyright © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
|
Original Article
Mirth-triggered asthma: Is
laughter really the best medicine? |
| Georgios Liangas, BSc (Med) Hons 1, John R. Morton, MBBS, FRACP 1 2, Richard L. Henry, MD, FRACP 1 * |
| 1School of Women's and
Children's Health, University of New South Wales, New South Wales,
Australia 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia |
| email: Richard L. Henry (R.Henry@unsw.edu.au) |
*Correspondence to Richard L. Henry, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, C/-Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia.
This
research was presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Thoracic Society
of Australia and New Zealand, held in Cairns in March 2002.
Funded by:
Vida Rees Trust
| Keywords |
| mirth • trigger • asthma |
| Abstract |
| Mirthful emotions such as laughter and excitement are unrecognized but perhaps important triggers of asthma. Our study aimed to explore the prevalence, mechanisms, and associations of mirth-triggered asthma (MTA) in children. Our MTA prevalence questionnaire was given to 285 children who presented to the Emergency Department of Sydney Children's Hospital (SCH) with an acute episode of asthma. Our MTA profile questionnaire study was a cross-sectional study of 541 children with asthma. The parents completed a questionnaire regarding their child's asthma. In our laughter diary study, diary cards were given to the parents of 21 children with asthma. The diary required details regarding the mirthful stimulus, symptoms of asthma, and recording of peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements. Of the selected cohort, 31.9% had mirth-triggered asthma. In the cross-sectional study, mirth-triggered asthma was more common: with increasing age (P = 0.02); in those who in the last 3 months had taken more doses of salbutamol (P = 0.005), and who had more wheeze, nocturnal symptoms, and early morning symptoms (P < 0.0005); and in those who reported exercise-induced asthma (P < 0.0005). Laughter was more commonly reported as a trigger than excitement; cough was the most prominent symptom; and symptoms mostly occurred within 2 min of the mirthful stimulus. In the laughter diary study, 59 of 130 recorded events described symptoms of asthma. Mirth while watching a film led to PEF of 73% of baseline, compared with 81% for mirth with exertional play, and 95% for mirth with nonexertional play (P = 0.01). Mirth-triggered asthma is common, and is an indicator of suboptimal asthma control. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2003; 36:107-112. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
Received: 27 February 2003; Accepted: 3 March 2003
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) |
10.1002/ppul.10313 About DOI
| References are available in the Enhanced Abstract |
Additional Information
Wiley InterScience is a member of CrossRef
Copyright © 1999-2003 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Return to Vaccination News Home Page __» Right-click to "open in new window"
DISCLAIMER: All information, data, and material contained, presented, or provided here is for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the knowledge or opinions of the publisher, and is not to be construed or intended as providing medical or legal advice. The decision whether or not to vaccinate is an important and complex issue and should be made by you, and you alone, in consultation with your health care provider.
