Determinants of Asthma Following RSV Bronchiolitis in Early Life

The goal of the RSV Bronchiolitis in Early Life (RBEL) study is to determine how specific genetic, biologic, and immunologic characteristics interact to predispose individuals to develop asthma. Participants were carefully recruited by selecting a prospective cohort of 206 infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis who were at substantial risk of developing asthma.]]>
Infants 12 months of age or younger were included in the RBEL study if they had severe bronchiolitis requiring emergency department care or hospitalization, a positive nasopharyngeal swab confirming RSV infection, and physician-documented wheezing during acute illness. Exclusion criteria included a history of previous wheezing and/or diagnosis of asthma, congenital abnormalities of the heart and lung, cystic fibrosis diagnosed in the patient or immediate family, regular use of anti-gastroesophageal reflux medication, bronchodilators, or anti-inflammatory medications. ]]>