This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Wheeze, ED visits increase in patients with rhinovirus

Rhinovirus appeared associated with a significant number of hospitalizations and emergency department visits, according to study results.

The virus also appeared to significantly affect adults who either smoke or live with a smoker, according to the researchers.

E. Kathryn Miller

E. Kathryn Miller, MD, MPH, a professor in the department of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and colleagues conducted a prospective, population-based cohort study to analyze acute respiratory illness (ARI) rates in adults presenting for care in multiple settings and identify factors associated with rhinovirus detection.

The analysis included 2,351 Tennessee residents aged 18 years and older who either entered the ED, an outpatient clinic or became hospitalized for ARI from December 2008 to May 2010.

Researchers reported rhinovirus in 247 patients; seven rhinovirus-related ED visits and three hospitalizations per 1,000 adults per year.

Patients with rhinovirus had a greater risk for wheeze compared with participants without the virus (aOR = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.23-2.35).

Patients who smoked (OR = 2.31; 95% CI, 1.68-3.19) and who lived with a smoker (OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.1-2.67) had an increased risk for rhinovirus.

“Our findings confirm that rhinovirus is prevalent in U.S. adults presenting with ARIs or fever to the hospital, ED, or outpatient clinics,” the researchers wrote. – by Ryan McDonald

Disclosure: Miller reports receiving research support from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Clinical and Translational Science Award and the National Institutes of Health. Please see the full study for a list of all other researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.