TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhanced severity of virus associated lower respiratory tract disease in asthma patients may not be associated with delayed viral clearance and increased viral load in the upper respiratory tract
AU - van Elden, Leontine J.R.
AU - Sachs, Alfred P.E.
AU - van Loon, Anton M.
AU - Haarman, Monique
AU - van de Vijver, David A.
AU - Kimman, Tjeerd G.
AU - Zuithoff, Peter
AU - Schipper, Pauline J.
AU - Verheij, Theo J.M.
AU - Nijhuis, Monique
PY - 2008/2/1
Y1 - 2008/2/1
N2 - Background: Viral respiratory infections, particularly human rhinovirus (HRV) infections, are the most common cause of asthma exacerbation. HRV infections usually lead to more severe and longer duration of lower respiratory tract (LRT) symptoms in asthmatics than in otherwise healthy individuals. However, the exact mechanism by which viruses contribute to exacerbation of asthma is unknown. Objectives: The main objective of our study was to investigate the relationship of the enhanced severity of LRT symptoms to viral dynamics or cytokine responses in the upper respiratory tract (URT). Study design: Therefore, we conducted a longitudinal study in which asthmatics and healthy controls were followed during natural viral respiratory tract infections. Results: Our study confirmed that viral respiratory tract infections caused more severe problems of the LRT in asthma patients as compared to healthy controls. However, for all subjects, the severity of LRT symptoms were not related to viral load or prolonged viral shedding in the URT. In addition, we did not detect differences in proinflammatory cytokines in the URT between asthmatics and controls. Conclusion: Persistence of the virus, as well as viral load in the URT, may not be associated with the induction and/or persistence of asthmatic symptoms.
AB - Background: Viral respiratory infections, particularly human rhinovirus (HRV) infections, are the most common cause of asthma exacerbation. HRV infections usually lead to more severe and longer duration of lower respiratory tract (LRT) symptoms in asthmatics than in otherwise healthy individuals. However, the exact mechanism by which viruses contribute to exacerbation of asthma is unknown. Objectives: The main objective of our study was to investigate the relationship of the enhanced severity of LRT symptoms to viral dynamics or cytokine responses in the upper respiratory tract (URT). Study design: Therefore, we conducted a longitudinal study in which asthmatics and healthy controls were followed during natural viral respiratory tract infections. Results: Our study confirmed that viral respiratory tract infections caused more severe problems of the LRT in asthma patients as compared to healthy controls. However, for all subjects, the severity of LRT symptoms were not related to viral load or prolonged viral shedding in the URT. In addition, we did not detect differences in proinflammatory cytokines in the URT between asthmatics and controls. Conclusion: Persistence of the virus, as well as viral load in the URT, may not be associated with the induction and/or persistence of asthmatic symptoms.
KW - Asthma
KW - Exacerbation
KW - Human rhinovirus (HRV)
KW - Respiratory virus dynamics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=38749140983&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcv.2007.10.028
DO - 10.1016/j.jcv.2007.10.028
M3 - Article
C2 - 18096430
AN - SCOPUS:38749140983
SN - 1386-6532
VL - 41
SP - 116
EP - 121
JO - Journal of Clinical Virology
JF - Journal of Clinical Virology
IS - 2
ER -