Severe Bronchiolitis in Infancy may Increase Risk of Future Chronic Respiratory Illness

Severe bronchiolitis in infancy is associated with reduced lung function in middle childhood, suggests a new study published in the journal Respiratory Medicine.¹

The study was conducted with 425 children who had required hospital admission for severe bronchiolitis in infancy; 48 children who had been healthy infants were selected as controls. Spirometry was performed in all children at 6 years of age. The primary outcomes of the study were FEV1% predicted (pp) and FEV1/FVCpp and the secondary outcomes were FVC percent predicted (FVCpp) and bronchodilator responsiveness.

Spirometry data showed that the majority of the children included in the study were found to have lung function within the normal range on unadjusted analysis, whereas children who had a history of severe bronchiolitis as infants had lower FEV1pp and FEV1/FVCpp. Compared to controls, children with history of severe bronchiolitis had 8% lower FEV1pp and 4% lower FEV1/FVCpp in adjusted analyses. No between-group differences were observed for FVC and bronchodilator responsiveness.

This study shows that children with history of severe bronchiolitis in infancy had decreased lung function at 6 years of age. “Their lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC results are consistent with a relative obstructive deficit”, note the authors. This impaired lung function puts them at risk of future chronic respiratory illness. Awareness of such early life risk factors may allow initiation of appropriate preventive measures in a timely manner to improve lung health.

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