Association between asthma and IgG levels specific for rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus antigens in children and adults

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.