Randomized controlled trial of nebulized adrenaline in acute bronchiolitis.

Abstract

Use of both l-epinephrine and racemic epinephrine (adrenaline) has improved clinical symptoms and composite respiratory scores in acute bronchiolitis. The objective of this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was to assess whether there was sufficient improvement in clinical state to reduce hospital admissions. Seventy-five infants aged 1 month to 1 year with a clinical diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis were treated with either 2 ml of 1:1000 nebulized adrenaline or 2 ml of nebulized normal saline administered after baseline assessment and 30 min later. Clinical respiratory parameters were recorded at 15-min intervals for a period of 2 h following the baseline assessment. Admission to hospital was the primary end-point and changes in respiratory parameters were secondary end-points. Fifty percent (19/38) of infants treated with adrenaline were discharged home compared with 38 percent (14/37) of those treated with saline. This 12 percent reduction in rate of admission is not statistically significant (95% CI of difference: -10% to 35%). There was no difference between treated and placebo groups in respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, heart rate or a composite respiratory distress score at 30, 60 or 120 min post-treatment. In this study, nebulized epinephrine did not confer a significant advantage over nebulized saline in the emergency room treatment of acute bronchiolitis.

Citation

(2003). Randomized controlled trial of nebulized adrenaline in acute bronchiolitis. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 134 - 139. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-3038.2003.00014.x

• Acceptance Date: Jun 24, 2002
• Publication Date: Apr 4, 2003
• Journal: Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Print ISSN: 0905-6157
• Publisher: Wiley
• Pages: 134 - 139
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-3038.2003.00014.x
• Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1034/j.1399-3038.2003.00014.x/abstract