Abstract
Objective
To compare the length of hospital stay (primary) and improvement in clinical severity scores (secondary) among children with bronchiolitis nebulized with 3 % hypertonic saline or 0.9% saline.
Design
Randomized double blind controlled trial.
Setting
Tertiary care teaching hospital.
Patients
Hospitalized children (1–24 months) with acute bronchiolitis of moderate severity.
Intervention
Nebulization of 4 ml of 3% hypertonic saline or 4 mL of 0.9% saline, along with 2.5 mg salbutamol, at 4-hourly intervals till the patient was ready for discharge.
Results
Baseline characteristics were similar in two groups. Median clinical severity score at admission was 6 (IQR-1) in both the groups. Clinical severity scores monitored afterwards 12-hourly till discharge (132 h) did not show statistically significant differences in 3% and 0.9% saline groups. Mean length of hospital stay (time to reach predefined clinical severity score<3) was 63.93 ± 22.43 h in 3% saline group and 63.51 ± 21.27 h in 0.9% saline group (P=0.878). No adverse events were reported by the parents, caregivers or treating medical attendants in both groups.
Conclusion
Nebulized 3 % saline is not superior to 0.9% saline in infants with clinically diagnosed acute bronchiolitis.
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Sharma, B.S., Gupta, M.K. & Rafik, S.P. Hypertonic (3%) saline Vs 0.9% saline nebulization for acute viral bronchiolitis: A randomized controlled trial . Indian Pediatr 50, 743–747 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-013-0216-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-013-0216-8