The Role of Respiratory Viral Infections in Exacerbation of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). |
Ji Youn Yoo, Dong Gyu Kim, Kwang Seok Eom, Taerim Shin, Yong Bum Park, Jae Young Lee, Seung Hun Jang, Joon Woo Bahn, Cheol Hong Kim, Sang Myeon Park, Myung Goo Lee, In Gyu Hyun, Kyu Man Lee, Ki Suck Jung |
1Department of Internal medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea. pulmoks@hallym.ac.kr 2Department of Pathology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea. |
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Abstract |
BACKGROUNDS The exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been suggested to be associated with respiratory tract viral infections (RTVIs). However, the rates of virus detection in previous studies have been quite variable, with lower rates for the exacerbation of COPD. Therefore, the virus detection of patients with exacerbation of asthma and COPD were investigated. METHODS: 20 and 24 patients with exacerbation of asthma and COPD, respectively, were enrolled. Nasal and sputum samples were taken, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for rhinovirus and coronavirus and virus culture for influenza A, B, RSV and parainfluenza virus performed. RESULTS: The mean FEV1/FVC in the exacerbation of asthma and COPD patients were 1.9/2.9 L (65.5%) and 1.1/2.6 L (42.3%), respectively. Respiratory virus was detected in 13 (65%) patients with exacerbation of asthma and rhinovirus was detected in 9. Coronavirus, influenza A, RSV and parainfluenza virus were detected in 2, 2, 1 and 1 patients with asthma. Among patients with exacerbation of COPD, a virus was detected in 14 (58.3%) patients, with rhinovirus, coronavirus and influenza A detected in 10, 3 and 4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that RTVIs may have a role in the exacerbation of COPD as well as asthma. |
Key Words:
Asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary Disease (COPD), Exacerbation, Viral infection |
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