Abstract
Background
To investigate the association of viral load (VL) with (i) tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL), interferon-gamma induced protein-10, C-reactive protein and a combinatorial score (BV score); and (ii) clinical severity.
Study Design
In this prospective, multicentre cohort sub-study, children with respiratory tract infection or fever without source were enrolled. VL for influenza virus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus were measured from nasopharyngeal swabs. The reference standard diagnosis was established based on expert panel adjudication.
Results
Of 1140 recruited patients, 333 had a virus mono-detection. VL for the aggregated dataset correlated with TRAIL and IP-10 levels, with length of oxygen therapy, and inversely with the BV score. On single viral level, only influenza virus yielded a correlation with TRAIL, IP-10 levels, and the BV score. Children with a viral reference standar d diagnosis had significantly higher VL than those with bacterial infection (p = 0.0005). Low TRAIL (incidence rate ratio, IRR 0.6, 95% confidence interval, CI 0.39-0.91) and young age (IRR 0.62, 95%CI 0.49-0.79) were associated with longer hospital stay, while young age (IRR 0.33, 95%CI 0.18-0.61), low TRAIL (IRR 0.25, 95%CI 0.08-0.76), and high VL (IRR 1.16, 95%CI 1.00-1.33) were predictive of longer oxygen therapy.
Conclusion
These findings indicate that VL correlates with biomarkers and may serve as a complementary tool pertaining to disease severity.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
