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Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Illnesses Comparing Older to Young Adults.

Am J Med. 2015 Jun 15;

Authors: Gorse GJ, Donovan MM, Patel GB, Balasubramanian S, Lusk RH

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Study of human coronavirus and other virus-associated respiratory illnesses is needed to describe their clinical effects on chronically ill, older adults.
METHODS: A prospective study during 2009-2013 clinically assessed acute respiratory illnesses soon after onset and 3-4 weeks later in patients aged ≥60 years old with chronic lung and heart diseases (Group 1, 100 subjects), and healthy adults aged 18-40 years (Group 2, 101 subjects). Respiratory secretions were tested for nucleic acids of a panel of respiratory viruses. Rise in antibody titer was assessed for four coronavirus strains.
RESULTS: Virus-associated illnesses (29 [39.1%] of 74 illnesses in Group 1 and 59 [48.7%] of 121 illnesses in Group 2) occurred in all calendar quarters, most commonly in the first and fourth. Coronaviruses (Group 1: 14 [18.9%] illnesses; Group 2: 26 [21.5%] illnesses and entero/rhinoviruses (Group 1: 14 [18.9%] illnesses; Group 2: 37 [30.6%] illnesses) were most common. Virus co-infections occurred in 10 illnesses. Illnesses with 9 to 11 symptoms were more common in Group 1 (17 [23.0%]) than 2 (15 [12.4%]) (P<0.05). Compared to Group 2, more Group 1 subjects reported dyspnea, more severe disease of longer duration, and treatment for acute illness with prednisone and antibiotics. Coronavirus-associated illnesses (percent of illnesses, Group 1 vs. Group 2) were characterized by myalgias (21% vs. 68%, P<0.01), chills (50% vs. 52%), dyspnea (71% vs. 24%, P<0.01), headache (64% vs. 72%), malaise (64% vs. 84%), cough (86% vs. 68%), sputum production (86% vs. 60%), sore throat (64% vs. 80%) and nasal congestion (93% vs. 96%).
CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory illnesses were commonly associated with coronaviruses and entero/rhinoviruses, affecting chronically ill, older patients more than healthy, young adults.

PMID: 26087047 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]