The epidemiology of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis

Abstract

Juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis is an exceedingly rare condition. The vast majority of primary care physicians are unlikely to encounter a patient during their entire career. This may explain the typical delay in diagnosis for many children as they are misdiagnosed as having asthma or vocal fold nodules. When diagnosed, these children are usually referred to centers with higher volumes and experience with treating RRP. This has made attempts to monitor the epidemiology of the disease feasible. It is through the study of the epidemiology that clinicians and researchers have gained much knowledge about the clinical aspects of the condition such as incidence, prevalence, clinical course, risk factors for acquisition and disease severity, and response to surgery and novel treatments. This chapter will review the disease burden at a local, national, and global level, the implications of understanding the clinical course of the disease to clinical trials, and the risk factors for acquiring the disease. The chapter will conclude with a glimpse into the future and review ongoing surveillance studies in the era of vaccination programs targeting HPV infection.