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Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of body mass index with regard to exercise performance, exercise‐induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), and respiratory symptoms in 7‐ to 16‐year‐old children. Methods: A total of 1120 outdoor running exercise challenge test results of 7‐ to 16‐year‐old children were retrospectively reviewed. Lung function was evaluated with spirometry, and exercise performance was assessed by calculating distance per 6 minutes from the running time and distance. Respiratory symptoms in the exercise challenge test were recorded, and body mass index modified for children (ISO‐BMI) was calculated for each child from height, weight, age, and gender according to the national growth references. Results: Greater ISO‐BMI and overweight were associated with poorer exercise performance (P <.001). In addition, greater ISO‐BMI was independently associated with cough (P =.002) and shortness of breath (P =.012) in the exercise challenge. However, there was no association between ISO‐BMI and EIB or with wheeze during the exercise challenge. Conclusion: Greater ISO‐BMI may have a role in poorer exercise performance and appearance of respiratory symptoms during exercise, but not in EIB in 7‐ to 16‐year‐old children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) and exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) has not been investigated in young children with atopic or non-atopic wheeze, two different phenotypes of asthma in the early childhood. Steroid naïve 3- to 7-yr-old children with recent wheeze (n = 84) and age-matched control subjects without respiratory symptoms (n = 71) underwent exercise challenge test, measurement of FENO and skin prick testing (SPT). EIB was assessed by using impulse oscillometry, and FENO by standard online technique. Although FENO levels were highest in atopic patients with EIB, both atopic and non-atopic wheezy children with EIB showed higher FENO than atopic and non-atopic control subjects, respectively. In atopic wheezy children, a significant relationship between FENO and the severity of EIB was found ( r = 0.44, p = 0.0004), and FENO was significantly predictive of EIB. No clear association between FENO and EIB or predictive value was found in non-atopic wheezy children. Both atopic and non-atopic young wheezy children with EIB show increased FENO levels. However, the association between the severity of EIB and FENO is present and FENO significantly predictive of EIB only in atopic subjects, suggesting different interaction between bronchial responsiveness and airway inflammation in non-atopic wheeze. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]