Study population
Twenty-nine patients participated in the study. Only two participants dropped out before the third visit and did not complete the questionnaires. In total 85 breath samples were collected. The study included two wheezing infants and two infant with a mixed (rattle-wheezing) phenotype. Table 1 shows the patient characteristics of the participants that were diagnosed with rattling and were included in the statistical analysis.
Fifty-eight of the 85 breath samples were collected easily while the child remained calm without any discomfort. Three samplings were unsuccessful because the child was restless and did not tolerate the mask of the breath sampler. Some samples were collected with more difficulty (6/86), while the child was crying (12/85) or while the child had a pacifier in his/her mouth in order to keep him/her calm (6/85).