Oral Prednisolone for Acute Rhinovirus Induced Wheezing in Children Less Than 2 Years of Age

Oral Prednisolone for Acute Rhinovirus Induced Wheezing in Children Less Than 2 Years of Age: a Point-of-care Testing Guided Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial

The aim of the trial is to evaluate whether the use of oral prednisolone directed by point-of-care testing is useful in acute wheezing caused by rhinovirus in children aged 6-24 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Wheezing bronchitis diagnosed by a physician
• Need for salbutamol treatment at the emergency department
• Positive nasopharyngeal rhinovirus or picornavirus finding in point-of-care testing

Exclusion Criteria:

• Need for immediate resuscitation
• Immediate transfer to ICU
• Suspected pneumonia based on the auscultation finding
• Suspected serious bacterial infection
• Other respiratory virus finding in the absence of rhinovirus or picornavirus
• Positive respiratory syncytial virus finding
• Positive SARS-coronavirus-2 finding
• Positive Mycoplasma pneumoniae finding
• Positive Bordetella pertussis finding
• Contact with a person with chickenpox within 14 days
• Active chickenpox
• Suspected foreign body of the respiratory tract
• Immunosuppressive treatment
• Systemic corticosteroid treatment within 14 days
• Allergy to corticosteroids