Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Pediatric Infection, cilt.10, ss.14-21, 2016 (ESCI)
Objective: Asthma exacerbations (AEs) have a great influence on asthma related morbidity. Respiratory viruses were known to trigger these exacerbations. We aimed to determine the impact of respiratory viruses on pediatric AE and to compare them with those in nonasthmatic children with acute respiratory tract infections. Material and Methods: A total of 125 asthmatic children with AE between December 2013 and April 2014 were recruited. Age-matched 125 non-asthmatic children with respiratory tract infections over the same time period were enrolled to compare the triggering respiratory viruses. Demographic and clinical features were recorded. A multiplex PCR assay was used to detect 21 different respiratory pathogens and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Results: Respiratory pathogens were detected in 84.8% of patients with AE. Rhinovirus was the most common virus detected (30.4%). Non-asthmatic children with ARTI were 92% positive for a respiratory pathogen and were mostly infected with influenza A (29.6%). Patients with virus positive AE were younger in age than those with virus negative AE (p=0.001). A higher hospitalization rate (p=0.023) and longer duration of symptoms (p=0.031) were observed in virus positive AEs. The type of maintenance treatment for asthma did not have a significant effect on virus positivity and severity of exacerbation (p>0.05). Conclusion: A high prevalence of respiratory viruses with the predominance of rhinovirus in pediatric AEs was confirmed in this study. Furthermore, the viral epidemiology of AEs was found to show some differences from that of respiratory tract infections at the same time period. This study also revealed an increase in the severity of AEs with the presence of respiratory viruses, highlighting their importance in treatment and prevention strategies of AEs.