Bronchiolitis; role of oral salbutamol administration for providing symptomatic relief in children

ABSTRACT

To determine the efficacy of oral salbutamol administration for symptomatic relief in children less than two years of age with acute mild bronchiolitis. Interventional study. Outpatient department of Department of Pediatrics, independent university hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan, from October 2010 to March 2011. 160 children less than two years of age diagnosed clinically as acute mild bronchiolitis with comparable baseline parameters [age, weight, duration of present illness] were included in the study. They were randomly placed in two groups, Salbutamol Group [SG] [n=80] Placebo Group [PG] [n =80] and were followed daily for first 3 days, then on day 5 and day 7 in outpatient department. Oral salbutamol was administered [0.1 mg/kg/dose] three times daily for 7 days or till complete resolution of illness, whichever came earlier. Time for resolution of illness [ROI] was primary outcome variable whereas time for resolution of cough, coryza, breathlessness, wheeze, achievement of normal feeding and sleep patterns and salbutamol adverse effects were secondary outcome variables. Mean duration of resolution of illness [ROI] was similar in both groups. [6.1 +/- 0.75] days in the salbutamol group and [6.0 +/- 0.80] days in placebo group [p=0.53]. There was no significant resolution time difference of secondary outcome variables between the two study groups. Cough [SG 4.1[0.70, PG 4.1]0.68, P=0.68] Coryza [SG 4.3[ 0.59, PG 4.2] 0.62, P=0.14] Wheeze and Breathlessness [SG 3.8[0.60, PG 3.8]0.63, p=0.24] Sleep [SG 4.5[0.40, PG 4.4]0.55, p=0.19] Feeding [SG 4.3[0.59, PG 4.2]0.62, P= 0.14]. Salbutamol adverse effects [tremors, irritability] were observed in 13 [16.25%] children in salbutamol group. Oral salbutamol administration is not superior to placebo in providing symptomatic relief in children with acute mild bronchiolitis