Thymus activity measured by T-cell receptor excision circles in patients with different severities of respiratory syncytial virus infection

Table 1 Modified respiratory distress assessment Instrument (m-RDAI)

Points	0	1	2	3	4
Wheeze
Expiration	No	End-Expiratory	½ of inspiration	¾ of inspiration	Whole expiration
Inspiration	No	Partly	Whole inspiration
Location	None	≤2 of 4 lung fields	≥ 3 of 4 lung fields
Retractions
Suprasternal	No	Mild	Moderate	Significant
Intercostal	No	Mild	Moderate	Significant
Subcostal	No	Mild	Moderate	Significant
Respiratory rate		Upper limit for normal respiratory rate		Points
Age < 1 month		50/ min		1 point for each increment of 5 breaths/minute above normal, max. 8 points
Age 1–5 months		40/ min
Age 6–11 months		30/ min

Maximum score for wheeze - 8 points; for retractions – 9 points; for respiratory rate – 8 points. Thus RR, retractions and wheeze are equally weighted. Maximum m-RDAI score is 25 points. Adapted from [11]. Age-associated limits for respiratory rate (RR) were set according to the literature and clinical experience. Example - a 3-month old child with a respiratory rate of 62 receives 5 points for Respiratory rate (62–40 = 22; 22/5 = 4.4; round up to 5)

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