Race-Neutral Equations for Lung Function Improve Asthma Detection in Children

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 4, 2025.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, March 4, 2025 -- Using a race-neutral equation identifies more than twice as many Black children with asthma or asthma symptoms as having reduced lung function than race-specific equations, according to a study published online Feb. 28 in JAMA Network Open.

Wan Chi Chang, from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and colleagues compared the use of race-specific and race-neutral equations on subsequent asthma diagnosis in children. The analysis included 1,533 children participating in the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP, 1991-2012), the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS, 2001-2010), and the Mechanisms of Progression from Atopic Dermatitis to Asthma (MPAACH, 2016-2024) cohorts.

The researchers found that the median percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in Black children decreased by 11.9 percentage points (pp) in CAMP, 13.5 pp in CCAAPS, and 13.2 pp in MPAACH compared with the race-specific equation. The race-specific equation failed to detect reduced percent predicted FEV1 in 12 of 22 Black children with asthma symptoms in CCAAPS (55 percent) and five of 15 Black children with asthma in MPAACH (41 percent). Children in CCAAPS with <90 percent predicted FEV1 based on race-specific equations were eligible for postreversibility testing to objectively diagnose asthma, and when this asthma diagnostic algorithm was applied, 16 of 36 Black children in CCAAPS (44 percent) and six of 16 Black children in MPAACH (38 percent) became eligible for reversibility testing with a less than 90 percent predicted FEV1 based on the race-neutral equation.

"These findings have significant clinical implications and further support the universal use of race-neutral equations to increase the likelihood of identifying reduced lung function and improving the detection of asthma, particularly in Black children, promoting health equity," the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2025-03-05 06:00

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords