Abstract
Background and Objectives: Bronchiolitis is the most common lower respiratory tract infection during first year of life and the cause of about 1% of infant’s hospitalizations. The treatment is mainly supportive but many studies have emphasized the role of bronchodilators. This study was aimed to show the efficacy of salbutamol spray.
Materials and Methods: In a Randomized controlled trial, 100 patients with bronchiolitis were randomly divided in to two groups (50 patients to each). First group received salbutamol spray (2 puffs via spacer every 4 hours)and second group nebulized 1/1000 epinephrine (0.2 mg/kg plus 3.5cc solin every 4 hours).
Inclusion criteria: infants attueage of 2-12 months with bronchiolitis were diagnosed as lower respiratory tract infection accompanied by fever, rhinitis, tachypnea, wheezing, and dyspnea.
Exclusion criteria: patients with cardiac or pulmonary problems, history of bronchodilator the rap or hospital admission with wheezing, history of corticosteroid consumption and ICU admission due to sever bronchiolitis.
Results: The age and the gender differences were not significant (p=0.2 and 0.6 respectively). Outcome indicators such as length of hospital stay and the time needed to restart normal nutrition had no significant differences (p=0.1 and p=0.47 respectively).
Conclusion: Considering feasibility of access and participation of parents in treatment and lack of significant differences between two groups, we suggest using salbutamol spray in treatment of bronchiolitis.