The Relationship of Congenital Heart Disease and Respiratory Infection Mortality in Patients With Down's Syndrome

Hospitalization for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Illness in Down Syndrome Following Prophylaxis With Palivizumab

“…1,2,14,[22][23][24] Our study confirms that, despite prophylaxis, healthy DS children without any risk factors are still prone to acute respiratory illness and hospitalizations and the rates climb significantly with associated risk factors such as ICHD (15.6%) and HSCHD (14.1%). 1,2,14,[22][23][24] Our study confirms that, despite prophylaxis, healthy DS children without any risk factors are still prone to acute respiratory illness and hospitalizations and the rates climb significantly with associated risk factors such as ICHD (15.6%) and HSCHD (14.1%).…”

“…Bloemers et al 1 identified that term children without CHD (n = 119), and those with insignificant CHD (n = 96) and HSCHD (n = 126) had RSV hospitalization rates that were 10.9, 14.9 and 17-fold higher respectively compared with controls. Several investigators have reported that irrespective of CHD, DS is an independent determinant of RSV hospitalization 1,14,22,23 based on numerous inherent comorbidities. 13 The significance and severity of underlying CHD as a risk factor for RSV hospitalization in DS cases, however, is not uniform.…”

Risk factors for respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisation in children with heart disease

“…Likewise, other airway anomalies such as laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia and bronchomalacia, which are frequently found in these children may play a role,17 and immunological disturbances are also likely to contribute 18 19. Although heart disease seems to increase the severity of RSV infection in children with Down syndrome, it has been suggested that the high hospitalisation rate for respiratory tract infections in children with Down syndrome is not associated with the presence of heart disease 14 20…”

Forensic issues in Down syndrome fatalities

“…4 Increased infections have been attributed to a variety of factors including environmental exposure to pathogens in institutions, reduced mobility, congenital heart disease, abnormal pulmonary vasculature and abnormal immunological function (The latter exacerbated by age). 11,25 More serious respiratory infections tend to occur in the more profoundly intellectually impaired. 26,27 An increased rate of Hepatitis B infection has been found that may result in an increased mortality from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.…”