# Bronchodilator response assessment through impulse oscillometry system and spirometry in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis

## TL;DR

This study examines how bronchodilators affect lung function in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis using impulse oscillometry and spirometry.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into bronchodilator effects on respiratory mechanics in cystic fibrosis patients.

## Key findings

- Bronchodilator use improved respiratory mechanics and pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis patients.
- Improvements were statistically significant but did not meet ATS/ERS criteria for bronchodilator response.

## Abstract

To investigate the effect of bronchodilator on the respiratory mechanics and pulmonary function of children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

Cross-sectional study on clinically stable children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis aged from six to 15 years. Participants underwent impulse oscillometry and spirometry evaluations before and 15 minutes after bronchodilator inhalation. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to verify the sample distribution, and the Student's t-test and Wilcoxon test were used to compare the data before and after bronchodilator inhalation.

The study included 54 individuals with a mean age of 9.7±2.8 years. The analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in impulse oscillometry and spirometry parameters after bronchodilator inhalation. However, according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and European Respiratory Society (ERS) recommendations (2020 and 2021), this improvement was not sufficient to classify it as a bronchodilator response.

The use of bronchodilator medication improved respiratory mechanics and pulmonary function parameters of children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis; however, most patients did not show bronchodilator response according to ATS/ERS recommendations.