Safety of airway clearance combined with bronchodilator and hypertonic saline in non-hospitalized infants with acute bronchiolitis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Acute viral bronchiolitis (AVB) is associated with significant morbidity and no study has addressed the safety of airway clearance techniques (ACT) for non-hospitalized infants. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of the use of ACT combined with bronchodilator and hypertonic saline in non-hospitalized children with the first episode of AVB.

METHODS:

A quasi-experimental study of infants aged 2-12 months, with a clinical diagnosis of AVB (mild to moderate), was performed. The Wang score, breathing frequency, oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR), and the presence of adverse events were evaluated before, 10 and 20 min after the application of a protocol including ACT (nasal irrigation, prolonged slow expiration, and provoked cough), bronchodilator and hypertonic saline inhalation. A total of 265 infants, mean age 6.86±3.01 months, were included.

RESULTS:

A reduction (p<0.001) in the Wang score and in the breathing frequency as well as an increase in SpO2 were found. There was also a transient HR increment at 10 min followed by a reduction at 20 min (p<0.05). The proportion of patients presenting with chest retraction and wheezing decreased (p<0.001) after treatment. Most of the children (88.3%) did not experience adverse events. A post-treatment increment (p<0.001) of patients classified as having normal values, as well as a decrease in those with mild and moderate AVB, was found for the Wang score levels.

CONCLUSION:

The use of ACT combined with bronchodilator and hypertonic saline was safe, immediately after treatment, for non-hospitalized children with mild to moderate AVB. No clinically important deterioration or adverse events were identified in the follow-up period.

• Authors: Vanesa González Bellido, Verónica Veláz Baza, Mª Del Carmen Jimeno Esteo, Rubén García Carballo, Alicia Colombo, Juan Nicolás Cuenca Zaldívar, Márcio Vinícius Fagundes Donadio
• Journal: Archives de pediatrie : organe officiel de la Societe francaise de pediatrie (Arch Pediatr) Vol. 28 Issue 8 Pg. 707-711 (Nov 2021) ISSN: 1769-664X [Electronic] France
• PMID: 34625378 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 French Society of Pediatrics. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Bronchodilator Agents
• Saline Solution, Hypertonic

Topics

• Airway Management (methods, standards, statistics & numerical data)
• Bronchiolitis (drug therapy)
• Bronchodilator Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Male
• Nebulizers and Vaporizers
• Saline Solution, Hypertonic (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Statistics, Nonparametric