Respiratory syncytial virus infection: ten-year follow-up

Studies within the last 20 years have shown that the incidence of asthma is increased in children who have been hospitalized with bronchiolitis due to respiratory syncytial virus. To evaluate such respiratory consequences in an ambulatory population, a follow-up study was done of 37 children who had respiratory syncytial virus infection documented at a community pediatric clinic in 1968 when they were younger than 4 years. This study, done ten years later by chart review and parental interview, showed that asthma had subsequently been diagnosed in three (8%). Thus, an increased risk for the development of asthma after respiratory syncytial virus infection was not found. Comparison of these data with those from previous reviews questions a causative role for respiratory syncytial virus in childhood asthma.