Study Finds Asthma Treatments for Kids More Likely to Fail Without Flu Shot

New research shows an annual influenza (flu) shot is crucial for children with asthma. In the study, researchers examined approximately 1,000 children treated for moderate or severe asthma attacks in emergency rooms at five Canadian hospitals. In addition, they analyzed noseswabs taken from those kids to determine if they also had the flu or another respiratory virus. Of the nearly two-thirds tested positive for a viral infection, 19 percent who were given the standard treatments for an asthma attack (including oral corticosteroids and inhaled bronchodilators) didn’t respond to their medications. They found that those with influenza or parainflunza had a 37 percent higher chance of not responding to asthma treatments compared to 13 percent without the virus. Asthma treatments were also more likely to fail among children with respiratory sincytial virus. However, human rhinoviruses (the usual cause of common colds) did not reduce the effectiveness of asthma treatments.

According to Francine Ducharme, MD, a pediatrician and co-author of the study, “We now know that if these kids get the flu, the risks are very high that emergency treatment for an asthma attack will fail. Instead of having an 18 percent risk of treatment failure, with flu, the risk rises to 40 percent. These kids should get their flu shot and they should get it systemically; it’s worth it.” The study was published in the June 4 issue of Pediatrics.