Down's syndrome is a risk factor for severe lower respiratory tract infection due to respiratory syncytial virus

Abstract

©2016 Foundation Acta Pædiatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aim: Previous studies have suggested that Down's syndrome is an independent risk factor for severe respiratory infection due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). We compared the clinical characteristics of children with and without Down's syndrome hospitalised due to RSV. Methods: This retrospective cohort study compared data from hospitalisations due to RSV lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in children under 14 years of age with (n = 58) and without (n = 58) Down's syndrome. Results: The Down's group had longer hospital stays than the controls of six versus four days (p < 0.0001), even after adjusting for age, weeks of gestation at birth, presence of asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, haemodynamically significant and nonsignificant congenital heart disease. This difference increased when only children under one year of age were analysed to 11 versus five days (p < 0.0001). Children with Down's syndrome were