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©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Association between early viral lower respiratory tract infections and subsequent asthma development
Sebastien Kenmoe, Etienne Atenguena Okobalemba, Guy Roussel Takuissu, Jean Thierry Ebogo-Belobo, Martin Gael Oyono, Jeannette Nina Magoudjou-Pekam, Ginette Irma Kame-Ngasse, Jean Bosco Taya-Fokou, Chris Andre Mbongue Mikangue, Raoul Kenfack-Momo, Donatien Serge Mbaga, Arnol Bowo-Ngandji, Cyprien Kengne-Ndé, Seraphine Nkie Esemu, Richard Njouom, Lucy Ndip
Sebastien Kenmoe, Seraphine Nkie Esemu, Lucy Ndip, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea 00237, Cameroon
Sebastien Kenmoe, Richard Njouom, Department of Virology, Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, Yaounde 00237, Cameroon
Etienne Atenguena Okobalemba, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Science, The University of Yaounde I, Yaounde 00237, Cameroon
Guy Roussel Takuissu, Centre of Research in Food, Food Security and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Yaounde 00237, Cameroon
Jean Thierry Ebogo-Belobo, Ginette Irma Kame-Ngasse, Medical Research Centre, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Yaounde 00237, Cameroon
Martin Gael Oyono, Laboratory of Parasitology and Ecology, The University of Yaounde I, Yaounde 00237, Cameroon
Jeannette Nina Magoudjou-Pekam, Raoul Kenfack-Momo, Department of Biochemistry, The University of Yaounde I, Yaounde 00237, Cameroon
Jean Bosco Taya-Fokou, Chris Andre Mbongue Mikangue, Donatien Serge Mbaga, Arnol Bowo-Ngandji, Department of Microbiology, The University of Yaounde I, Yaounde 00237, Cameroon
Cyprien Kengne-Ndé, Epidemiological Surveillance, Evaluation and Research Unit, National Aids Control Committee, Douala 00237, Cameroon
Author contributions: Kenmoe S, Ndip L, and Njouom R were responsible for conception and design of the study as well as project administration; Kenmoe S, Atenguena Okobalemba E, Takuissu GR, Ebogo-Belobo JT, Oyono MG, Magoudjou-Pekam JN, Kame-Ngasse GI, Taya-Fokou JB, Mbongue Mikangue CA, Kenfack-Momo R, Fall A, Mbaga DS, Bowo-Ngandji A, Kengne-Nde C, and Esemu SN were responsible for the data curation and interpretation of results; Kengne-Nde C and Kenmoe S were responsible for statistical analysis; Kenmoe S, Ndip L, and Njouom R were responsible for the project supervision; Kenmoe S wrote the original draft; All authors critically reviewed the first draft and approved the final version of the paper for submission and have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by the European Union (EDCTP2 Programme), No. TMA2019PF-2705.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors deny any conflict of interest.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See:
https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Corresponding author: Sebastien Kenmoe, PhD, Assistant Lecturer, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Molyko to Buea Town Rd, Buea 00237, Cameroon. sebastien.kenmoe@ubuea.cm
Received: November 30, 2021
Peer-review started: November 30, 2021
First decision: April 19, 2022
Revised: April 25, 2022
Accepted: June 16, 2022
Article in press: June 16, 2022
Published online: July 9, 2022
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background
We performed a literature search in PubMed and Global Index Medicus in December 2019 using keywords covering low respiratory tract infections AND common respiratory viruses AND asthma. The results of our research depicted in original articles, narrative reviews, and systematic reviews suggesting that human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and rhinovirus (RV) bronchiolitis in childhood are associated with an increased risk of asthma later. This research also identified conflicting data on the influence of confounding factors on the high risk of developing asthma after bronchiolitis in childhood. It has also emerged from this research that the involvement of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) other than bronchiolitis and respiratory viruses other than HRSV and RV in the subsequent risk of asthma remains hypothetical to date.
Research motivation
Taking into account confounding factors, the influence of respiratory infections other than bronchiolitis in childhood and respiratory viruses other than HRSV and RV should be weighed against the risk of developing subsequent asthma.
Research objectives
This study was conducted to assess the influence of viral LRTI at < 2 years on the risk of subsequent asthma development.
Research methods
This meta-analysis included cohort studies with viral LRTI at < 2 years as exposure and asthma as outcome. R software version 4.1.0 was used to calculate the odds ratios and their 95%CI using a random-effects model.
Research results
This study included 15 articles and demonstrated the implications of childhood viral LRTI in the risk of subsequent asthma development up to the age of 20 (odds ratio = 5.0, 95%CI: 3.3-7.5). This risk of developing asthma was not influenced in sensitivity analyses including only confounding factors with similar proportions between exposed and unexposed. The estimates were not affected by publication bias, but there was significant heterogeneity.
Research conclusions
Childhood viral LRTIs, primarily HRSV bronchiolitis, are significantly associated with a risk of developing asthma later in life.
Research perspectives
To curb the heavy burden of asthma in patients of all ages, we hope that the results of this review will encourage the implementation of a sensitization program for this association of viral LRTI in childhood and the subsequent asthma risk. Interventional studies are needed to involve the causality relationship between neonatal viral LRTI and the subsequent risk of asthma.
