Immunological Response Associated with Rhinovirus Viremia During Exacerbations in Preschool Wheezers.

This letter discusses a study conducted on preschool children with recurrent wheeze or asthma who were hospitalized for a severe exacerbation. The study aimed to investigate the presence of rhinovirus viremia during these exacerbations and its association with clinical characteristics and immune profiles. The results showed that rhinovirus viremia was detected in 34.3% of patients, and those with viremia were more likely to be male and less likely to be under maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroids. Additionally, certain cytokine levels in sputum were found to be higher in patients with viremia. However, there was no difference in cytokine levels in plasma based on viremia status. The study suggests that respiratory viral infections, particularly RV-C infections, may have a more pronounced effect on the epithelial barrier integrity and may be associated with specific inflammatory profiles. However, further research is needed to fully understand the long-term consequences and clinical implications of viremia in children with asthma. [Extracted from the article]