EFFECT OF ORAL AND INHALED SALBUTAMOL IN INFANTS WITH BRONCHIOLITIS

The response of bronchiolitis to bronchodilator drugs is controversial . The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of oral or m etered dose inhaler (MDI) salbutamol using a coffee cup as a spacer de vice in bronchiolitis. In the trial, 31 hospitalized patients between 6 and 24 months of age, who exhibited the first episode of acute bronc hiolitis without any other predisposing illness such as cystic fibrosi s, congenital heart disease etc., were randomly assigned to receive or al salbutamol (n=11, 0.1 mg/kg per dose, four times a day), or MDI sal butamol (n = 12, 200 mu g per dose, every 3 h) or formed the control g roup without any bronchodilator therapy (n = 8). All of the patients w ere given supplemental oxygen as needed and adequate hydration was mai ntained. The patients were evaluated with clinical symptom scores. The re were no differences in the beneficial or side effects of salbutamol , or the number of days in hospital between the treatment groups and t he control group. It was concluded that there is no beneficial effect in using bronchodilators in infants with bronchiolitis. Supplemental o xygen and maintenance of normal hydration may be adequate.