The Association of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection and Childhood Asthma: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objective: To explore the close relationship between respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and acute attack of childhood asthma. Methods: A computer-based search of database from Pumbed, CNKI, Wanfang, Baidu Scholar, Chongqing VIP, GeenMedica was performed to screen the articles about respiratory syncytial virus infection and childhood asthma. Then the literatures were screened out by the selection criteria. The RevMan5.3 software was used to test the heterogeneity and effect values of each study, analyze the sensitivity and publication bias of the literature, and draw on Meta forest plot and Funnel plot. Results: 5 articles conformed to the selection criteria. There were totally 881 cases in the case group, 826 cases in the control group. The results of heterogeneity test showed no heterogeneity between each study (P > 0.05). The fixed-effects model showed the 6.68 (5.06 - 8.82), (Z = 13.38, P < 0.00001). Conclusion: The infection rate of respiratory syncytial virus in children with acute asthma attack is higher than that in remission period. Respiratory syncytial virus infection rate can be used as an indicator of the severity of asthma in children.