Six-month to 3-year follow-up of children with acute respiratory infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus

Background and Objective: This study was performed to investigate long-term complications of Respiratory Syncytial Viral infections in patients admitted to Ali Asghar Hospital with acute respiratory infections who presented to follow-up outpatient clinics 6 months to 3 years after discharge, between years 2009 and 2011. Methods: In this retrospective observational study that was performed in a descriptive cross-sectional manner, all patients suffering from acute bronchiolitis diagnosed with Respiratory Syncytial Virus, whose diagnosis had been confirmed by RCP of pharyngeal secretions, were included in the study. Data collection was performed through patient file reviews and questionnaires in outpatient clinics between 6 months and 3 years following discharge. Data collection included demographics such as age, sex, and address. Clinical data included inpatient documentations such as history of Atopic Dermatitis or Gastro-esophageal Reflux, or length of stay in Intensive Care Unit (ICU); and follow-up findings such as recurrent wheezing. Results: Forty patients were included in the study, thirty-five percent of whom were male and 65% female; their average age was 33.6 months (SD: 12.08). The percentage of patients living in urban areas was 92.5%, with 65% living in Tehran. In the follow-up period of 6 months to 3 years, recurrent wheezing was recorded in 15%, pulmonary hypersensitivity in 40%, food allergy in 27.5%, exposure to cigarette smoke in 44.1% and enrolment in child day care facilities in 35% of the cases. In this study, there was no significant correlation between recurrent wheezing and factors such as age, sex, residence in Tehran, history of pre-term birth, length of stay in ICU, re-admission to hospital or exposure to cigarette smoke. There was a significant correlation between recurrent wheezing and atopic dermatitis and food allergy (p< 0.05). Conclusion: In previous studies, Respiratory Syncytial Virus had been connected to complications such as recurrent wheezing; in this study, about 15% of patients followed up between 6 months and 3 years of discharge from hospital were found to have recurrent wheezing; there was a correlation between incidence of recurrent wheezing and factors such as atopic dermatitis or food allergies. Larger or multi-central studies are recommended to investigate long-term complications of RSV infection and their relationship with other predisposing factors.