title: Presence of rhinovirus in the respiratory tract of adolescents and young adults with asthma without symptoms of infection.
abstract: Viral respiratory infections have been associated with up to 80% of wheezing episodes and asthma exacerbations. However, studies on the role of these viruses in asthmatic patients in the interval between exacerbations are sparse. This study aimed to determine the presence of respiratory viruses, without symptoms of infection, in the airways of young asthmatics as compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  
  Patients 10-35 years of age with stable asthma and a group of healthy controls were analyzed regarding the presence of RNA from common respiratory viruses in nasopharyngeal aspirates by PCR. Self-reported asthma control and quality of life, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), spirometry, and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine were recorded. Blood samples were collected to assess IgE sensitisation and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels.
  
  
  
  In 354 patients with asthma and 108 healthy controls, human rhinovirus (HRV) was the only virus detected (4.5% of asthmatics vs. 0.9% of controls; p = 0.08). HRV(+) asthma patients had a higher degree of aeroallergen IgE sensitisation (median 37.7 vs. 10.4 kUA/L, p = 0.04), and a tendency for higher levels of serum ECP (median 17.2 vs. 12.6 μg/L, p = 0.07), as compared to their HRV(-) counterparts.
  
  
  
  Absence of symptoms of respiratory tract infection notwithstanding, HRV seems to be more prevalent in the airways of adolescents and young adults with asthma and a high degree of aeroallergen IgE sensitisation than in controls. The presence of HRV seems also to be related to systemic eosinophilic inflammation despite ongoing treatment with inhaled corticosteroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden. Electronic address: lars.ohrmalm@ki.se.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Öhrmalm
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences: Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malinovschi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences: Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Broliden
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alving
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000097:blood; D045853:Exhalation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000485:Allergens; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein
keywords: Asthma; Eosinophil cationic protein; Exhaled nitric oxide; Immunoglobulin E; Rhinovirus; Type-2 inflammation