BACKGROUND

Viral infections in childhood, especially to rhinovirus (RV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are associated with asthma inception and exacerbation. However, little is known about the role of RV- and RSV-specific antibodies in childhood versus adult asthma.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to investigate associations between RV- and RSV-specific IgG levels and asthma phenotypes in children and adults.

METHODS

The analysis included 1771 samples from participants of the Epidemiological Study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma (530 children; age [mean ± SD], 11.1 ± 2.8, and 1241 adults; age [mean ± SD], 43.4 ± 16.7, among whom 274 and 498 had ever asthma, respectively). RSV- and RV-specific IgG levels were determined using microarrayed virus-derived antigens and peptides. Cross-sectional associations between standardized RSV- and RV-specific IgG levels and asthma phenotypes were estimated by multiple regression models.

RESULTS

In children, ever asthma was associated with higher IgG levels specific to RV, especially to RV-A and RV-C, and to RSV (adjusted odds ratios [95% CI] for a 1 - SD increase in IgG levels were 1.52 [1.16-1.99], 1.42 [1.10-1.83], and 1.24 [0.99-1.54], respectively). These associations were stronger for moderate to severe asthma than for mild asthma. Conversely in adults, ever asthma was associated with lower RV-A, RV-B, and RV-C IgG levels (adjusted odds ratios [95% CI] were 0.86 [0.74-0.99], 0.83 [0.73-0.95], and 0.85 [0.73-0.99], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the association between respiratory virus-specific antibody levels and asthma varies during life, with asthma associated with higher levels of IgG to RSV, RV-A, and RV-C in children and lower levels of IgG responses to RV-A/B/C in adults.