Nebulized 3% Hypertonic Saline in the Treatment of Acute Bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department

Nebulized 3% Hypertonic Saline in the Treatment of Acute Bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department

This is a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded, clinical trial

Subject : 3mo ~ 24mo. aged infants with bronchiolitis

The effect of 3 % NaCl nebulizer or dexamethasone on admission rate of these infants in ED.

Randomly assigned to one of three groups

• Group I : nebulized epinephrine + 0.9% saline + placebo
• Group II : nebulized epinephrine + 3% saline + placebo
• Group III : nebulized epinephrine + 0.9% saline + dexamethasone

Group I received two treatments of nebulized epinephrine mixed 0.9% saline and a total of six oral doses of placebo, group II received nebulized epinephrine mixed 3% saline and oral placebo, and group III received nebulized epinephrine mixed 0.9% saline and oral dexamethasone.

The primary outcome is hospital admission within 7 days after the day of enrollment

Inclusion Criteria:

• 3mo ~ 24mo aged patients with bronchiolitis visit to emergency departments
• RDAI score 4-15

Exclusion Criteria:

• < 3mo, > 24mo
• infants who had received oral or inhaled corticosteroids during the preceding 2 weeks
• infants with a previous episode of wheezing or a diagnosis of asthma
• any chronic cardiopulmonary disease
• immunodeficiency
• infants needed intubation
• infants with a previous history of apnea or intubation
• infants with side effect of dexamethasone
• infants born at less than 37 weeks of gestation who had a corrected age of less than 6 weeks at presentation