Reactive airway disease

Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome or RADS (also known as Reactive Airway Disease or RAD) is a term proposed by S.M. Brooks and colleagues in 1985 ^[1] to describe an asthma-like syndrome developing after a single exposure to high levels of an irritating vapor, fume, or smoke.^[2] In time, however, it has evolved to be mistakenly used as a synonym for asthma^[3]. Current usage of the term in the medical community is to describe an asthma-like syndrome in infants that may later be confirmed to be asthma when they become old enough to participate in diagnostic tests such as the methacholine challenge test.

References

1. ^ S.M. Brooks, M.A. Weiss, I.L. Bernstein. Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS): persistent asthma syndrome after high level irritant exposures. Chest, Volume 88, 1985, 376-384. Retrieved on 2007-8-28.
2. ^ John V. Fahy and Paul M. O'Byrne. "Reactive Airways Disease": A Lazy Term of Uncertain Meaning That Should Be Abandoned. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 163, Number 4, March 2001, 822-823. Retrieved on 2007-4-22.
3. ^ Mayo Clinic Staff (Sep 4, 2006). Reactive airway disease: Is it asthma?. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved on 2007-04-22.