Abstract

MARTIN MARTIN, R. et al. Nebulized 3% hypertonic saline solution in hospitalized infants with acute bronchiolitis: case-control study on the utility and effectiveness. Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria [online]. 2013, vol.15, n.58, pp.109-115. ISSN 1139-7632.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1139-76322013000200002.

Objective: to study the utility of nebulized 3% hypertonic saline solution (HSS) in hospitalized infants with acute bronchiolitis. Patients and methods: case-control studies accomplished on 639 patients of age less than 7 months old and hospitalized with the diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis, first episode, during 3 consecutive seasons in a pediatric department in Madrid. The patients who received 0.9% saline solution (FSS), with or without medication, during the 2 first seasons were considered the control group and the patients who received, the last season period, nebulized 3% hypertonic saline solution were considered the cases group. The days of hospitalization and the hours of oxygen therapy were used as the result measurement. Results: from the total of the studied children, 460 received 0.9% saline solution and 179 received 3% hypertonic saline solution. In the group receiving FSS the average stay in hospital was 5.16 days (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 4.78-5.56) and the average time of oxygen therapy was 57.34 hours (95% CI 52.93-61.75) opposite to 4.90 days (95% CI 4.64-5.07) and 67.53 hours (95% CI 60.36-74.69) respectively in the group that received HSS. There was no significant difference between the groups. The patients who received FSS and were positive for VRS and also patients less than 3 months old, showed a significant reduction in the oxygen therapy hours (p= 0.004 and p= 0.007 respectively). Conclusions: results show that 3% hypertonic saline solution has not been effective in reducing hospital stay or length of oxygen therapy in patients with acute bronchiolitis; but nebulized 0,9% saline solution in children with age <3 months and positive study of respiratory syncitial virus in nasopharyngeal aspirate showed a reduced need of hours of oxygen.

Keywords : Acute bronchiolitis; Treatment.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English | Spanish     · English ( pdf ) | Spanish ( pdf )