title: Allergic children have more numerous and severe respiratory infections than non-allergic children.
abstract: Allergic disorders are characterized by Th2-polarization, and hence physiological Th1-dependent mechanisms for fighting respiratory infections (RI) may be defective. This study aimed at evaluating the number and duration of RI in allergic and non-allergic children suffering from recurrent RI. One hundred seventeen children (4.02 +/- 1.0 yr, 72 males and 45 females) were studied during the spring, 46 were allergic. Allergic children showed a significantly higher number (mean 1.26 +/- 0.73) and longer duration of RI (8.92 days) in comparison with non-allergic group (0.94 +/- 1.37 and 4.85 days) (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.009, respectively). In conclusion, this study provides the evidence that allergic children have more numerous and severe RI than non-allergic children.
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genova, Italy. gio.cip@libero.it
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciprandi
authors.forename: Maria Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tosca
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fasce
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology