Search

Inhaled corticosteroids are the cornerstone of asthma management. Inhaled corticosteroid regimens differ slightly in various international guidelines on asthma management but are based on the principles of continuous treatment and titration to the lowest effective dose. Several recent studies, nevertheless, appear to demonstrate the potential value of preemptive or "pro re nata" regimens in infants and children. These studies were included in GINA 2015 for children 5 years of age and younger in whom discontinuous treatment is proposed as a second-line option. Should we change our practices after a critical reading of these studies?

The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the impact of a medical indoor environment counselor (MIEC) on the allergic child's indoor home environment, as well as the real-life experience of patients' families.We enrolled 50 children (age, 4-18 years) with allergic respiratory illness (96 % asthmatics) from March 2011 to January 2012. During the first visit, the CMEI gave advice according to the results of the assessment. Home environmental exposures were assessed 6 months later. A satisfaction questionnaire was completed by the parents.We found a significant decrease in the presence of house dust mites (P = 0.0047), humidity, and molds (P = 0.0047) as well as volatile organic compounds (P = 0.0047). Smoking habits were not significantly changed (P = 0.083), nor was the presence of domestic pets (P = 0.3173). Over 74 % of the families were very satisfied with the CMEI's intervention.According to de Blay's study, a home visit by the MEIC increased compliance with mite reduction. The intervention to advise parents of asthmatic children on the risks of passive smoking was ineffective in reducing their children's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. The advice given by the MEIC was better understood by the patients than that expressed by the medical teams.A targeted home-based environmental intervention increased the compliance to mite, humidity, and mold reduction. The role of the CMEI will undoubtedly develop: follow-up studies are necessary to justify their activity (cost-efficacy ratio of their intervention).

Although commonplace and usually not serious, acute cough in the context of upper respiratory tract infection is a frequent reason for consultation and generates significant parental anxiety. Parents often request active drug intervention. Following the contraindications in infants of mucolytics, Hélicidine(®), antihistamines, and terpene-based suppositories, issued between 2010 and 2011 by the Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé (ANSM), we wished to assess whether these contraindications were known by parents and applied in pharmacies.An assessment of compliance with these contraindications was made by a double declarative prospective observational study in Nice, first with 29 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians (4-25 August 2012) and then with 289 parents of infants (December 2011 to April 2012).The rate of noncompliance with contraindications was 23.8 % for parents and 34.5 % of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Consumption of cough medicines was inversely correlated to the ability to perform a correct nasal wash (OR=2.3). Only 21 % of parents used nasal wash properly. Full-time work was a risk factor for noncompliance with contraindications (OR=1.91).ANSM contraindications still have a limited impact on pharmacists and families. Therefore, efforts must be pursued to stop delivering cough medicines for infants. The information and educational campaigns should also involve parents and help to improve nasal wash use.

Guidelines have been published regularly since 2010 by the ANSM (the Health Products Safety Agency) advising against antitussive drugs for infants because of their inefficacy and their side effects (convulsions, respiratory congestion). Antihistamines, mucolytics, and terpene-based suppositories have theoretically disappeared from infant pharmacopoeia. We assessed the degree of compliance with these guidelines on the part of health professionals.From June 2012 to August 2012, 198 general practitioners and 44 pediatricians were assessed in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France by means of questionnaires. At the same time, an analysis of medical prescriptions was sought from the Regional Directorate of Medical Services (RDMS) of the PACA-Corse region Health Insurance.The rate of noncompliance with the contraindications was 14.9% (17.7% general practitioners and 2.3% pediatricians). The RDMS study showed a slight decrease in prescriptions for antitussives not recommended from 2011 to 2012: -21% for pediatricians, -15.5% for generalist physicians.Continued educational and informative campaigns are therefore needed to stop medical prescriptions of cough medicines for infants, which should also involve parents.