Lactate dehydrogenase and caspase activity in nasopharyngeal secretions are predictors of bronchiolitis severity

Mehta, Reena; Scheffler, Margaret; Tapia, Lorena; Aideyan, Letisha; Patel, Kirtida D; Jewell, Alan M; Avadhanula, Vasanthi; Mei, Minghua; Garofalo, Roberto P; Piedra, Pedro A

Qualifying children were enrolled at the time they came to medical attention and sampled in the ED, or the ICU within 24 hours of admission, after obtaining informed consent from a parent or legal guardian. At enrollment, a physical exam was performed, demographic and medical history recorded, and nasopharyngeal secretion aspirate (NPA) obtained for viral diagnostics and biomarkers of interest. Enrollment, data collection, and sample collection for this study was done by the primary investigators (RM, MS), who were not involved in the medical care or disposition of subjects. Each child's disposition and outcome as determined by the primary care team was noted by review of the medical record. The Institutional Review Board of Baylor College of Medicine approved these studies.