Mirth-triggered asthma: Is laughter really the best medicine?

> Mirth-triggered asthma: Is laughter really the best medicine?

   

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http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/104540988/START

Online ISSN: 1099-0496    Print ISSN: 8755-6863
Pediatric Pulmonology
Volume 36, Issue 2, 2003. Pages: 107-112

Published Online: 24 Jun 2003
 

Copyright © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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 Original Article
 

Mirth-triggered asthma: Is laughter really the best medicine?
Georgios Liangas, BSc (Med) Hons 1, John R. Morton, MBBS, FRACP 1 2, Richard L. Henry, MD, FRACP 1 *
1School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia
2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
 
email: Richard L. Henry (R.Henry@unsw.edu.au)

*Correspondence to Richard L. Henry, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, C/-Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia.

This research was presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, held in Cairns in March 2002.

Funded by:
 Vida Rees Trust

 

Keywords
mirth • trigger • asthma

 

Abstract
Mirthful emotions such as laughter and excitement are unrecognized but perhaps important triggers of asthma. Our study aimed to explore the prevalence, mechanisms, and associations of mirth-triggered asthma (MTA) in children. Our MTA prevalence questionnaire was given to 285 children who presented to the Emergency Department of Sydney Children's Hospital (SCH) with an acute episode of asthma. Our MTA profile questionnaire study was a cross-sectional study of 541 children with asthma. The parents completed a questionnaire regarding their child's asthma. In our laughter diary study, diary cards were given to the parents of 21 children with asthma. The diary required details regarding the mirthful stimulus, symptoms of asthma, and recording of peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements. Of the selected cohort, 31.9% had mirth-triggered asthma. In the cross-sectional study, mirth-triggered asthma was more common: with increasing age (P = 0.02); in those who in the last 3 months had taken more doses of salbutamol (P = 0.005), and who had more wheeze, nocturnal symptoms, and early morning symptoms (P < 0.0005); and in those who reported exercise-induced asthma (P < 0.0005). Laughter was more commonly reported as a trigger than excitement; cough was the most prominent symptom; and symptoms mostly occurred within 2 min of the mirthful stimulus. In the laughter diary study, 59 of 130 recorded events described symptoms of asthma. Mirth while watching a film led to PEF of 73% of baseline, compared with 81% for mirth with exertional play, and 95% for mirth with nonexertional play (P = 0.01). Mirth-triggered asthma is common, and is an indicator of suboptimal asthma control. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2003; 36:107-112. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Received: 27 February 2003; Accepted: 3 March 2003

 

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10.1002/ppul.10313  About DOI


 

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