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Decreased lung function after preschool wheezing rhinovirus illnesses in children at risk to develop asthma

Theresa W Guilbert1, Anne Marie Singh, Zoran Danov

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53716, USA. tguilbert@wisc.edu

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|September 1, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Rhinovirus (RV) infections in preschoolers are linked to reduced lung function later in childhood. This study found RV wheezing illnesses significantly predict decreased lung function up to age 8 in high-risk children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric respiratory health
  • Viral infections and lung development
  • Asthma epidemiology

Background:

  • Preschool wheezing illnesses, particularly those caused by rhinovirus (RV), are associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma.
  • The specific impact of early-life viral infections on long-term lung function remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between virus-specific wheezing illnesses and subsequent lung function in a longitudinal cohort of children at high risk for asthma.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study followed 238 children from birth to 8 years of age.
  • Early-life viral wheezing illnesses were identified, and lung function was assessed annually using spirometry and impulse oscillometry.
  • Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to analyze the associations.

Main Results:

  • Children experiencing RV wheezing illnesses showed significantly reduced spirometry measures (FEV1, FEV0.5, FEF25-75) and abnormal impulse oscillometry (reactance at 5 Hz) compared to those without RV wheezing.
  • Wheezing associated with respiratory syncytial virus or other viruses did not result in significant lung function differences.
  • Children diagnosed with asthma at ages 6 or 8 had significantly lower FEF25-75 values.

Conclusions:

  • Rhinovirus (RV) infections causing wheezing in early childhood are significant predictors of diminished lung function up to age 8 in a high-risk cohort.
  • The causal relationship between low lung function and RV wheezing illnesses requires further investigation.
Abstract

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