Clinical significance of human metapneumovirus detection in critically ill adults with lower respiratory tract infections
Abstract
Unlike other viruses, the pathogenicity of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in adults remains uncertain. To address this question, a retrospective monocentric cohort including all patients admitted to ICU with hMPV infection between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2018 was performed. The characteristics of hMPV infected patients were studied and compared to matched influenza infected patients. Consecutively, a systematic review and meta-analyses investigating PUBMED, EMBASE and COCHRANE databases was conducted to explore the hMPV infections in adult patients (PROSPERO number: CRD42018106617). Trials, case series, and cohorts published between January 1, 2008 and August 31, 2019 compiling adults presenting hMPV infections were included. Pediatric studies were excluded. Data were extracted from published reports. Primary endpoint was the rate of low respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among all hMPV infected patients. During the study period, 402 patients were tested positive for hMPV. Among them 26 (6.5%) patients were admitted to the ICU, 19 (4.7%) for acute respiratory failure. Twenty-four (92%) were immunocompromised. Bacterial coinfections were frequent 53.8%. Hospital mortality rate was 30.8%. In the case–control analysis, the clinical and imaging characteristics were not different between hMPV and influenza infected patients. The systematic review identified 156 studies and 69 of them (1849 patients) were eligible for analysis. Although there was heterogeneity between the studies, the rate of hMPV LRTIs was 45% (95% CI 31–60%; I 2 = 98%). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was required for 33% (95% CI 21–45%; I 2 = 99%). Hospital mortality rate was 10% (95% CI 7–13%; I 2 = 83%) and ICU mortality rate was 23% (95% CI 12–34%; I 2 = 65%). Underlying malignancy was independently associated with increased mortality rate. This preliminary work suggested that hMPV may be associated with severe infection and high mortality in patients with underlying malignancies. However, regarding the small size of the cohort and the heterogeneity of the review, more cohort studies are warranted.
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BibTeX
@article{kapandji2026clinical,
title = {{Clinical significance of human metapneumovirus detection in critically ill adults with lower respiratory tract infections}},
author = {Natacha Kapandji and Michael Darmon and Sandrine Valade and Maud Salmona and Jérôme Legoff and Lara Zafrani and Elie Azoulay and Virginie Lemiale},
journal = {Annals of Intensive Care},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s13613-023-01117-w},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05783174v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Clinical significance of human metapneumovirus detection in critically ill adults with lower respiratory tract infections
AU - Natacha Kapandji
AU - Michael Darmon
AU - Sandrine Valade
AU - Maud Salmona
AU - Jérôme Legoff
AU - Lara Zafrani
AU - Elie Azoulay
AU - Virginie Lemiale
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Annals of Intensive Care
DO - 10.1186/s13613-023-01117-w
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05783174v1
AB - Unlike other viruses, the pathogenicity of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in adults remains uncertain. To address this question, a retrospective monocentric cohort including all patients admitted to ICU with hMPV infection between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2018 was performed. The characteristics of hMPV infected patients were studied and compared to matched influenza infected patients. Consecutively, a systematic review and meta-analyses investigating PUBMED, EMBASE and COCHRANE databases was conducted to explore the hMPV infections in adult patients (PROSPERO number: CRD42018106617). Trials, case series, and cohorts published between January 1, 2008 and August 31, 2019 compiling adults presenting hMPV infections were included. Pediatric studies were excluded. Data were extracted from published reports. Primary endpoint was the rate of low respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among all hMPV infected patients. During the study period, 402 patients were tested positive for hMPV. Among them 26 (6.5%) patients were admitted to the ICU, 19 (4.7%) for acute respiratory failure. Twenty-four (92%) were immunocompromised. Bacterial coinfections were frequent 53.8%. Hospital mortality rate was 30.8%. In the case–control analysis, the clinical and imaging characteristics were not different between hMPV and influenza infected patients. The systematic review identified 156 studies and 69 of them (1849 patients) were eligible for analysis. Although there was heterogeneity between the studies, the rate of hMPV LRTIs was 45% (95% CI 31–60%; I 2 = 98%). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was required for 33% (95% CI 21–45%; I 2 = 99%). Hospital mortality rate was 10% (95% CI 7–13%; I 2 = 83%) and ICU mortality rate was 23% (95% CI 12–34%; I 2 = 65%). Underlying malignancy was independently associated with increased mortality rate. This preliminary work suggested that hMPV may be associated with severe infection and high mortality in patients with underlying malignancies. However, regarding the small size of the cohort and the heterogeneity of the review, more cohort studies are warranted.
SN - 2110-5820
ER -