RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Respiratory virus infections and aeroallergens in acute bronchial asthma.
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 310
OP 315
DO 10.1136/adc.59.4.310
VO 59
IS 4
A1 K H Carlsen
A1 I Orstavik
A1 J Leegaard
A1 H Høeg
YR 1984
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/59/4/310.abstract
AB Two hundred and fifty six attacks of acute bronchial asthma occurring in 169 children aged over 2 years were studied during a two year period. More attacks occurred during spring and autumn than at other times of the year. In 73 patients (29%) a respiratory virus infection was diagnosed, with the same seasonal variation as the asthmatic attacks. Most of the virus infections were caused by rhinovirus (45%) and respiratory syncytial virus (19%). There was no significant correlation between asthmatic attacks in patients with birch pollen, grass pollen, or Cladosporium herbarum allergy and counts of the respective pollen or spores in the air. More seasonal attacks occurred in patients with cladosporium allergy than in patients without cladosporium allergy but there was no seasonal variation among birch or grass pollen allergic patients. Information about exposure to animals was obtained in only 12% of attacks occurring in 121 patients with allergy to animal dander. The single precipitating factor most frequently associated with acute asthma was respiratory virus infection.