Steroids Helping Albuterol Responders Exclusively

Are Steroids Efficacious in Hospitalized Patients With Bronchiolitis Who Show an Objective Clinical Improvement After Albuterol ("Albuterol Responders")?

The purpose of the study is to determine whether corticosteroids are beneficial to children with bronchiolitis whose breathing gets better after being given a breathing treatment with albuterol.

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosis of bronchiolitis
• Respiratory Distress Assessment Index score of 4 or more

Exclusion Criteria:

• prior prescription of bronchodilators or inhaled corticosteroids
• birth at <36 weeks gestation
• chronic cardiac disease
• chronic pulmonary disease (including asthma)
• immunodeficiency
• non-topical steroid use in the prior week
• parents that don't understand English
• baseline systolic blood pressure >118 mmHg
• home oxygen use
• evidence of systemic fungal or varicella infection
• bronchodilator use in the prior week
• allergy to albuterol or corticosteroids