TYPE OF SUPPORT
Research Background
Early detection of airway disease progression in preschool children (3-6 years) is crucial for effective management and improved outcomes for respiratory diseases, such as asthma.
Asthma is the most common non-transmissible disease in children worldwide. About 50% of preschoolers experience wheezy illnesses, but only 30% of children with recurrent wheezing develop asthma.
The lack of a standard lung function test for young children complicates clinical management. Intrabreath oscillometry (IB-OSC) measures respiratory impedance during tidal breathing and could enhance diagnosis and treatment. However, before clinical use, the feasibility, variability, and repeatability of this method need to be assessed in both healthy children and those with the disease.
QCIF Role
Dr Matthew Wong, a paediatric respiratory and sleep physician, sought statistical advice from Dr Farah Zahir, the head of statistics at QCIF, for his PhD to define the clinical utility of intrabreath oscillometry in preschool wheezing disorders.
What started as one-hour consultations as needed grew into a mentorship opportunity where Farah joined Matthew’s PhD advisory team. Farah worked closely with Matthew on two longitudinal datasets to develop a reproducible R workflow and code, training him in the R programming language, advising on appropriate methods, interpreting results, and supporting publication efforts.
This collaboration is ongoing and has resulted in two publications in Pediatric Pulmonology and five presentations at international conferences (Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and the American Thoracic Society).
Research Outcome & Impact
IB-OSC can detect subtle changes in airway mechanics in asymptomatic preschoolers with sensitivity, which may be valuable for identifying children at risk of developing asthma.
It is non-invasive and can be easily used in children as young as 3 years old to monitor changes in lung function over time. The results from the systematic review emphasise the need to standardise BDR determination and reporting methods for each lung function technique in young children.
Dr Farah Zahir has been instrumental in providing the statistical support required to publish my research. Her medical background, combined with statistical expertise, makes it easy for her to understand and support my clinical research.
Dr Matthew Wong, Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland
