RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Host and viral factors predicting severity of rhinovirus-associated wheeze
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P2955
VO 40
IS Suppl 56
A1 Giulia Cangiano
A1 Elena Proietti
A1 Marie Noelle Krönig
A1 Elisabeth Kieninger
A1 Meri Gorgievski
A1 Maria Teresa Barbani
A1 Laurent Kaiser
A1 Caroline Tapparel
A1 Marco Polo Alves
A1 Nicolas Regamey
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2955.abstract
AB Background Rhinovirus (RV) is a common cause of wheeze in childhood. Personal history of atopy, presence of siblings and day care attendance are known risk factors for severe RV-associated wheezing but objective markers predicting disease severity are lacking. We aimed at identifying such markers in a cohort of preschool children hospitalized for RV-associated wheezing. Methods Direct immunofluorescence for RV and other viruses was performed on nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) within the first 24 hours of hospitalisation of children aged 0-6 years. RV load, interferons (γ and λs) and cytokines (IL-4, 6, 8, 13, IP-10) were quantified by RT-PCR and ELISA and related to clinical parameters. Results Within a 4-years period (2007- 2011), we included 126 children (median (range) age: 1.66 (0.40-5.81) years). Presence of RV was confirmed by RT-PCR in all NPA samples. RV load was inversely related to age (r=-0.22, p=0.02) and correlated with the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8 (r=0.23, p=0.01) and IL-6 (r=0.35, p=0.001). There was no relationship between RV load or any IFNs cytokine level and clinical outcome parameters (clinical severity scores, length of hospitalisation and duration of oxygen therapy). Post-hoc analysis revealed a trend towards higher IL-6 levels of children with prolonged oxygen need (>1 vs. ≤1 days): (135 (5-789) vs.16 (5-244) pg/ml, p=0.07). Conclusions In our cohort, RV load and related antiviral and pro-inflammatory responses were not associated with disease severity. This may be due to the wide age-range of subjects studied. Whether IL-6 levels in NPA may help to predict clinical outcome in subgroups of children with RV-associated wheezing illnesses needs to be evaluated in further studies.