Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics.
Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics.
Curr Opin Pediatr. 2021 Dec 1;33(6):639-647. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000001054.
Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Investigations of the lower and upper airway microbiomes have significantly progressed over recent years, and their roles in pediatric asthma are becoming increasingly clear.
Early studies identified the existence of upper and lower airway microbiomes, including imbalances in both associated with pediatric asthma. The infant airway microbiome may offer predictive value for the development of asthma in later childhood, and it may also be influenced by external factors such as respiratory viral illness. The airway microbiome has also been associated with the clinical course of asthma, including rates of exacerbation and level of control. Advances in -omics sciences have enabled improved identification of the airway microbiome's relationships with host response and function in children with asthma. Investigations are now moving toward the application of the above findings to explore risk modification and treatment options.
The airway microbiome provides an intriguing window into pediatric asthma, offering insights into asthma diagnosis, clinical course, and perhaps treatment. Further investigation is needed to solidify these associations and translate research findings into clinical practice.
哮喘是儿童最常见的慢性疾病。近年来，对下呼吸道和上呼吸道微生物组的研究取得了显著进展，其在儿科哮喘中的作用也越来越明显。
早期研究发现了上、下呼吸道微生物组的存在，包括与儿童哮喘相关的两者失衡。婴儿气道微生物组可能对以后儿童时期哮喘的发展具有预测价值，并且还可能受到呼吸道病毒感染等外部因素的影响。气道微生物组也与哮喘的临床病程有关，包括加重率和控制水平。组学科学的进步使人们能够更好地识别气道微生物组与哮喘患儿宿主反应和功能的关系。目前的研究正在朝着应用上述发现的方向发展，以探索风险修饰和治疗选择。
气道微生物组为儿科哮喘提供了一个有趣的窗口，深入了解哮喘的诊断、临床病程，也许还能了解治疗方法。需要进一步的研究来证实这些关联，并将研究结果转化为临床实践。
